Swalwell, Gonzales Resign Ahead of House Expulsion Votes

The two lawmakers stepped down before expected bipartisan efforts to remove them from office.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 6:35am

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of an empty congressional office, with warm sunlight streaming in through the windows and deep shadows casting a somber mood, conceptually representing the political turmoil surrounding the resignations.The abrupt resignations of two lawmakers ahead of expected expulsion votes underscore the gravity of the ethics issues they faced and the bipartisan consensus that their conduct warranted removal from Congress.Gonzales Today

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned from the House of Representatives on Tuesday, just before their colleagues were expected to move forward with rare expulsion efforts against them. The resignations came amid mounting ethics probes and intense pressure from both parties.

Why it matters

Expulsion from Congress is an extraordinary measure, having only occurred six times in House history. Swalwell and Gonzales' resignations ahead of expected expulsion votes highlight the gravity of the ethics issues they were facing and the bipartisan consensus that their conduct warranted removal from office.

The details

Swalwell and Gonzales announced their resignations in rapid succession on Monday night, with both lawmakers finalizing their departures within hours of each other on Tuesday. The resignations came just before the House was expected to move forward with expulsion efforts against the two representatives, a rare step that has only been taken six times previously in the chamber's history.

  • Swalwell and Gonzales announced their resignations on Monday night.
  • The two lawmakers finalized their departures from the House on Tuesday.

The players

Eric Swalwell

A Democratic representative from California who resigned from the House of Representatives.

Tony Gonzales

A Republican representative from Texas who resigned from the House of Representatives.

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The takeaway

The resignations of Swalwell and Gonzales ahead of expected expulsion votes highlight the seriousness of the ethics issues they were facing and the bipartisan consensus that their conduct warranted removal from Congress, a rare and extraordinary measure.