House Braces for Resolutions To Expel Two Lawmakers Accused of Sexual Harassment, Assault

Lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill on Monday may find themselves preoccupied by internal matters as interest grows in expelling two congressmen, one from each party, over sexual misconduct allegations.Congressman Eric Swalwell, who suspended his bid for the California governor’s mansion Sunday after losing endorsements among his colleagues over the weekend, is facing calls to step down after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported Friday on accusations of rape by a former staffer and sexual assault by three other women.Congressman Tony Gonzales, a Republican, admitted to having an affair with a staffer who later committed suicide. Mr. Gonzales maintains that he never sexually harassed anyone, though he has suspended his re-election campaign. He too is facing calls to step down. Rather than retreat into partisan corners and accuse each other of hypocrisy, several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say they are willing to kick out both members if it means keeping numbers at a status quo. Removing them both would mean Speaker Mike Johnson’s GOP majority is protected. Congressman Jared Huffman, a Democrat from northern California, was first to publicly embrace removing both of his colleagues from the House. “With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate. He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress,” Mr. Huffman wrote on X late Saturday night. “Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them.”Congressman Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida who is also running for governor, followed Mr. Huffman’s lead during an interview on “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “If that vote comes to the floor, I will be voting yes on both measures. These allegations are despicable and they demean the integrity of Congress,” Mr. Donalds said. “These things are just completely unacceptable, as far as I’m concerned. Both gentlemen need to go home.”A former chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, also told “Meet the Press” that she supports ousting both men. “This is not a partisan issue. This cuts across party lines,” Ms. Jayapal said. “I do think that both of them need to step down from Congress.” Another Democrat, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández said she too supports expelling both men. In a statement Sunday, she said neither congressman is “fit to serve.”“These women have suffered enough. Now we must act to protect them and make sure there is accountability,” Ms. Leger Fernández said. A simple “privileged resolution” or special request from any House member to the House parliamentarian, could force Mr. Johnson to initiate days of debate over expelling the two. One Republican lawmaker, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, has suggested ousting both lawmakers in a single vote, which has never been done before. Ms. Luna, who endorsed an expulsion of Mr. Gonzales months ago, wrote in a post on X that she was “inquiring” with the parliamentarian about the feasibility of voting on a single resolution. If such a motion passes, Messrs. Swalwell and Gonzales would become the seventh and eighth members of Congress to have been expelled from the House, and the first two over sexual improprieties. The move to expel the two men could be procedurally tricky, given it takes a simple majority in the House to table or refer a resolution of expulsion, which essentially means that the chamber kills the measure before it can be debated. It would take two-thirds of the House to expel either congressman. As of Sunday afternoon, Mr. Swalwell is still in the governor’s race, though he has stopped soliciting money and has held no public events over the weekend. He denies all accusations of sexual harassment or assault.

House Braces for Resolutions To Expel Two Lawmakers Accused of Sexual Harassment, Assault

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