House avoids historic four-member expulsion week as Swalwell and Gonzales resign
The House appeared poised for a historic week of expulsions but ultimately avoided that outcome as two members resigned amid scandals. It would have been the first time since the early 2000s that four Members faced expulsion in a single week, a move requiring a two-thirds vote.
Former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) resigned after facing allegations of sexual misconduct, which he initially denied. His resignation came shortly after reports surfaced that he assaulted a former aide and other women, prompting calls for his expulsion and his decision to drop his bid for California governor.
Similarly, former Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced he would step down, abandoning plans to serve out his term following controversy over an affair with an aide who died by suicide. Gonzales was facing an expulsion threat but left office before the House could act.
Two other members, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), remain under scrutiny. Cherfilus-McCormick faces a House Ethics Committee investigation into COVID relief funds, while Mills is under investigation for alleged domestic violence and campaign violations. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he would consider ethics recommendations related to these cases.
The potential for multiple expulsions prompted discussions about party parity and the political fallout of disciplinary actions. The House’s current composition is 217 Republicans, 213 Democrats, and one independent, with one seat vacant following Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s (R-Calif.) death.
Experts note that the ethics investigations’ differing stages and the political implications make further expulsions unlikely in the near term. The House has historically used censures as a lesser form of discipline, with five censures since 2021, but actual expulsions remain rare.
As Swalwell and Gonzales resigned, the focus shifts to whether the House will pursue disciplinary actions against Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills. The outcome could influence party dynamics and set new precedents for accountability on Capitol Hill, according to political analysts.
Source: Original Article
