Washington — Washington (AFP) – Resignations That came quickly this week from two members of Congress accused of sexual misconduct toward staff. However, for many women on Capitol Hill, the moment of accountability was years in the making — and was never enough.
Actors. Eric SwalwellDemocrat from California, and Tony GonzalezBoth, Republicans from Texas, announced within hours of each other on Monday that they were leaving Congress. Their decisions came a day before the House of Representatives returned to Washington, where both faced the possibility of being kicked out of the chamber by their colleagues.
It was a reckoning of sorts for Capitol Hill, the most surprising since the careers of nearly a dozen male politicians were toppled during the height of World War II. #MeToo movement. However, some congresswomen said the two resignations took too long and proved what they had been saying for a long time: that more must be done to rid Capitol Hill of sexual assault.
“Today was an important turning point,” said Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. “That – the abuse of power – should never be accepted, above all, in public office. And so, I think this is an important reset point for the institution.”
A bipartisan group of congresswomen on Tuesday threatened to introduce resolutions that could have forced a vote on expelling Swalwell and Gonzalez. Their moves forced the two men to act, and they came quickly after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN did reported Friday That a woman said Swalwell sexually assaulted her.
The initial allegations against Swalwell date back to 2019 and 2024; Others have followed Allegations of inappropriate behavior Made by other women. Swalwell denied engaging in any sexual misconduct but admitted errors in judgment. For months, Gonzalez resisted calls for his resignation after he admitted to having an affair in 2024 with a female employee who later committed suicide.
“Accountability can happen,” said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who chairs the Democratic Women’s Caucus. “We can hold men accountable when they mistreat women, and we will do more of that.”
It is against the Code of Conduct in the House of Representatives for any member to have a sexual relationship with his staff.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the House changed its rules to require annual training for members on sexual harassment and discrimination. The House also approved legislation to speed up the slow process for harassment complaints, require more disclosure of settlements and force lawmakers to pay any penalties they are asked to impose personally.
Former Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat who led the movement for sexual assault reforms, told The Associated Press that problems remain after those reforms.
“What we’re doing in Congress is basically looking the other way,” she said, adding that she was calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to “really tighten the rules and create a safe environment for these women to report.”
While Johnson said he did not speak with lawmakers before announcing their resignations, he told reporters it went “appropriately.”
“This is the right thing for the organization,” he added.
Sexual assault was a top priority for lawmakers during the investigation into the actions of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. A handful of Republican women, most of them from the right wing of their party, played crucial roles in forcing Congress to take up the issue.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, along with Rep. Lauren Boebert and then-Rep. Marjorie taylor greene rebuffed pressure from president donald trump and johnson last year when they joined the democrats and Forced to vote Regarding a bill requiring the release of many Epstein case files.
Mayes, who in 2019 shared her own account of surviving rape, has continued her outspoken campaigning for victims of sexual assault. She and Republican Rep. Ana Paulina Luna have repeatedly called for Swalwell and Gonzalez’s resignation.
Mace has also extended that request to the Republican representative. Corey Millswho is facing an ethics investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and violence against his ex-girlfriend. Mills said he would refute the allegations.
Meanwhile, Mace and Luna are also calling for the MP’s resignation. Sheila Chervilus McCormickDemocrat from Florida. The House Ethics Committee found evidence that she violated campaign finance law in connection with an mistaken $5 million overpayment from the state of Florida to her family’s health care company. She said she didn’t do anything wrong.
“Clean house. Fire them. Hold every single one of them accountable,” Mace said on social media. “The American people are watching.”
At the same time, Mayes herself is under investigation by the Ethics Commission over allegations that she improperly claimed reimbursement for housing costs. She has denied any wrongdoing.
As the sexual assault accusations against Swalwell continued, some Democrats found themselves in a moment of reflection and remorse, especially those who remained close with him.
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a close friend of Swalwell who chaired his presidential campaign, invited reporters to his office Tuesday for an emotional news conference.
“I made a mistake. I’m a human being. I trusted this man,” Gallego said, his eyes teary.
Under intense questioning from reporters, Gallego admitted that he had heard rumors about Swalwell being a “flirtatious,” but stressed that he trusted him as a close family friend.
“I definitely look at the world in a different way now,” Gallego said. “I personally will make sure that I take personal steps and office steps to make sure that we don’t even get close to the gray line.”
Part of the problem in Congress is that members are given broad latitude to run their offices, said Speier, who entered politics by initially working as a congressional aide and being harassed by a supervisor. All 535 legislators are their own self-selected chiefs of staff.
“There’s no one really supervising you,” Speer said. “There is a sense of entitlement that overwhelms many of these members.”
Speer along with then-Rep. Bradley Byrne led efforts to pass legislation to make it easier to report sexual harassment and discrimination, including banning nondisclosure agreements to protect members of Congress.
Since the 2018 reforms began requiring Congressional Office of Workplace Rights To report awards and settlements related to formal complaints, there were eight payments made by House members’ offices, totaling just over $400,000. These payments cover all types of workplace rights violations, not just sexual harassment, and it is possible that the violations were committed by other congressional staffers in the office.
Speer said it is essential to continue making it easier for survivors to report sexual assault.
“Unless someone comes forward, you know this behavior is going to continue,” she said.
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AP Chief Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.