Three scandal-scarred members of the House of Representatives have resigned from Congress almost within a week, marking a rare moment of accountability in a town where scandals are often dismissed, ignored, or pardoned by the president. However, this does not signal a fundamental cleanup of Congress, which remains deeply unpopular. Instead, it reflects a combination of cynical partisanship and odd timing, with three unrelated scandals reaching their peak simultaneously.
Swalwell's Allegations Surface During Gubernatorial Bid
Accusations that former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) sexually assaulted staff and women he met through politics over several years may never have come to light had he not been running for governor. One accuser told CNN, "For a long while I've wanted to say something. When I knew he was running for governor, I was like, 'Oh god, this can't happen.'"
Gonzales and Cherfilus-McCormick Also Step Down
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) might have completed his term despite his affair with an aide who later died by suicide, if Swalwell's resignation had not set a precedent. In recent debates over punishing lawmakers, threats of censure or expulsion have often been met with retaliatory threats from the opposing party, reflecting a reluctance to enforce accountability unless it is perfectly bipartisan. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) resigned Tuesday, facing federal indictment for embezzling campaign funds, with few allies and no plausible denial of the charges.
Lawmakers React to Resignations
Many lawmakers welcomed the resignations, arguing that the Constitution's punishment mechanisms worked effectively. "It worked. They wouldn't have resigned if they hadn't been threatened with a vote of their peers on the House floor," said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.). Some view this as a cultural shift. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) noted, "Accountability was looming in all these cases. Members are seeing the writing on the wall." However, Huffman criticized the slow pace of ethics investigations, particularly regarding Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who faced domestic violence allegations. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) threatened to force an expulsion vote against Mills, who countered with a similar threat against Mace, also under ethics investigation.
Broader Frustration with Dysfunctional House
Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), a veteran lawmaker since 1994, linked the expulsion threats to broader frustration with the nearly evenly split and gridlocked House. "It's really difficult to pass legislation, and the extremes in both parties have grown louder," he said, noting stagnant congressional pay and a pessimistic national mood. A Gallup poll released Tuesday showed Congress at record unpopularity: 86% disapproval, 10% approval.
Potential Reforms and Obstacles
Lawmakers could reform the Congressional Accountability Act, last updated in 2018 after the Me Too movement ended nine congressional careers. Proposals include extending the ban on romantic relationships between lawmakers and their staff to include relationships with staff of other lawmakers, and banning stock trading by members. However, passing such bills through both chambers remains uncertain. Republicans are unlikely to support ethics rules applying to the White House, a Democratic priority in response to President Trump's private business ties.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who pushed for the release of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, noted that accountability in Congress surpasses that elsewhere, as no one has been prosecuted for Epstein's crimes. "If you're moving slower than Congress when it comes to justice and accountability, you really have a problem," he said.
