WASHINGTON, D.C. – Some members of Congress we spoke to are glad to see Representatives Eric Swalwell (D- CA) and Tony Gonzales (R- TX) resign following sexual misconduct claims. Members on both sides of the aisle are concerned and upset about the stories surrounding the events but are split on how allegations against members should be dealt with.
Swalwell and Gonzales were facing unrelated House Ethics investigations into sexual misconduct allegations.
“I was really pleased to see the resignations that occurred,” Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R- PA) said following news of their resignations.
Back in March, Republican Representative Nancy Mace (R- SC) spearheaded a resolution she says would shed more light on sexual misconduct allegations against members of congress. The resolution would’ve directed the House Ethics Committee to make public all reports on allegations of congressional lawmakers and aides engaging in sexual misconduct or harassment.
In a statement from the chairman and ranking member of the committee on Ethics, they believe the resolution “could chill victim cooperation and witness participation in ongoing and future investigations.” They added they believed the resolution could have a negative impact on the Committee’s ability “to investigate and eliminate sexual misconduct in the House.” They encouraged the House to refer the resolution to the Committee at this time.
In a 357 to 65 vote, the House essentially voted to refer the resolution to the Ethics Committee. We revisited this resolution with some House members.
“I think we should get it all out for the world to see,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy (R- NY). He was one of the 65 members that voted to make the information public. “If someone is behaving badly while supposedly serving the public – this is a tremendous honor – that needs to be known by the public. We should have a zero-tolerance policy for this behavior. The stories about Swalwell are deeply troubling. He obviously read the handwriting on the wall and their party took him out very quickly. I think my party was too slow to act on Gonzales. The Ethics committee has largely ruled there I’m glad he’s gone. It should’ve happened weeks ago.”
Langworthy adds if there are other members accused of sexual misconduct, it should be made public. “People do deserve due process because there can be false allegations made but this should not move as slowly as it does and there should not be this secrecy that there is.”
Pennsylvania Representative’s Dan Meuser (R- PA) and Glenn Thompson were among the 357 who voted to refer it to the Ethics Committee.
“That’s what the Ethics Committee is for,” said Rep. Meuser. “It’s to uncover enough information so we can make a determination.”
“The proper procedure when there are complaints like this the referral is made to the Ethics Committee,” said Rep. Thompson. “The Ethics Committee is the only committee in the House of Representatives that is nonpartisan. Its equal number of Republicans and Democrats and they work hard with the attorneys on the Ethics Committee to do their due diligence; that is the proper place to be referred to.”
Swalwell’s and Gonzales’ resignations essentially means that those House Ethics Committee investigations come to an end since the committee only has jurisdiction over sitting members of congress.
