Rep. Eric Swalwell Resigns from Congress; FBI Invites Him on Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Rep. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit has upended the California gubernatorial race, where mail-in voting begins soon.

Swalwell announced his resignation from the gubernatorial race amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The accusations were reported by CNN.

FBI Director Kash Patel extended an invitation to Swalwell to sit down with agents. The invitation renews an old rivalry dating back to Trump-Russia matters on Capitol Hill.

Swalwell's resignation comes as he was a candidate in the California gubernatorial race to replace the term-limited governor. His abrupt exit has upended the contest, where no clear frontrunner has emerged among Democrats.

Mail-in voting is set to start in under a month.

uses a top-two primary system, placing all candidates on one ballot with the top two advancing to the general election regardless of party.

Democrats, who have dominated state politics, worry their divided field could allow two Republicans to advance. The race has involved debates over eligibility and other issues.

The state Republican party did not endorse a candidate at its recent convention. On the Democratic side, candidates include a former congressmember known for using a whiteboard in hearings, a billionaire who previously ran for president, and a city mayor who has raised funds from business leaders.

California has never elected a woman governor, and only two prominent women are running.

The sexual misconduct allegations were reported by CNN.

Despite the cloud of scandal, Swalwell remains eligible for a taxpayer-funded congressional pension of about $22,000 per year starting at age 62, according to a National Taxpayers Union analysis. The invitation from Patel traces back to 2017, when Democrats promoted a Russian-sourced dossier accusing Trump of election interference.