Congressional Ethics and Discipline

As the House returns from a two‑week recess, rank‑and‑file members are preparing expulsion resolutions against Rep. Eric Swalwell, D‑Calif., and Rep. Tony Gonzales, R‑Texas, putting rare, high‑stakes disciplinary votes squarely on this week’s agenda. Swalwell, who just suspended his 2026 California governor bid, faces multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations – including one under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney – which he vehemently denies while admitting “mistakes in judgment.” Gonzales has acknowledged an affair with a staffer who later died by setting herself on fire and is under House Ethics Committee investigation; he ended his reelection bid after pressure from GOP leaders. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna says she will introduce a resolution to expel Swalwell if he does not resign, while Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez vows a counterpart resolution against Gonzales, and lawmakers including Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat Pramila Jayapal now say they would vote to remove both men. Because expulsion requires a two‑thirds majority and forces members to vote against one of their own, the clash will test how far Congress is willing to go to police sexual misconduct and abuse‑of‑power cases in its own ranks after the George Santos precedent.