The resignation of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) came as little surprise. The reports in both CNN and The San Francisco Chronicle alleging sexual misconduct and even sexual assault led to Democrats immediately calling for him to drop out of the California governor’s race. And he already faced an Ethics Committee investigation.
What was more surprising was that Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) finally resigned hours later, after months of media reports, mostly in The San Antonio Express-News about him engaging in an affair with a married staffer who later committed suicide.
Up until then, House Republican leadership, under Speaker Mike Johnson, had only encouraged Gonzales not to seek re-election, a move he announced but which still did not go far enough.
It’s pretty clear what happened here: Swalwell’s resignation finally gave Republicans political and numerical cover to finally do the right thing.
Republicans have only a two-seat majority, meaning they can only afford to lose one vote. So they kept Gonzales around despite his heavy and sordid baggage. Democrats’ showing Swalwell the door meant they would pay no price for losing him.
And it looks like the House will do the same thing again now, as Democrats seem willing to offer up Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida – whom the Ethics Committee found had committed 25 fraud violations – in exchange for Republicans kicking out Florida Rep. Rep. Cory Mills, who also faces an investigation related to campaign finance violations and domestic violence.
This is the exact kind of backroom tit-for-tat dealing that fuels the public’s disdain of Washington: It shows that each side cares more about protecting their own political ends than doing what’s right.
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