Eric Swalwell has stepped down from his position in the United States Congress following allegations of sexual misconduct that surfaced over the weekend.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the lawmaker, who had earlier declared his intention to run for governor in California, made his resignation known on Monday through a message shared on his 𝕏 account.
In his statement, Swalwell admitted to past errors in judgment and apologized to his family, staff, and constituents. He also stated that while he would challenge the serious accusation made against him, he accepted responsibility for certain actions in his past.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” Swalwell said in the statement.
The situation escalated after reports by San Francisco Chronicle and CNN brought forward claims from four women. Among them was a former staff member who accused him of sexually assaulting her on two occasions when she was allegedly too intoxicated to give consent.
Before announcing his resignation, Swalwell had already put his campaign for governor on hold as the allegations gained attention.