Everyone in Washington, D.C., seems to be a lawyer, especially elected members of Congress. Maybe that’s why Congress is so dysfunctional. There are many jokes here, but Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) isn’t laughing. He just saw his entire career implode faster than the Oceangate submersible, and he has only himself to blame. The California Democrat looked poised to win the upcoming June primary, then allegations of sexual misconduct, followed by rape accusations, surfaced.
With the entire political operation crushed and his career ruined, Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race and announced his resignation from Congress yesterday. When he will leave has not been decided. In less than three days, everything he had worked for was reduced to ashes. So, after he leaves Congress, he can fall back on his law degree, right? That’s what usually happens. Well, not exactly. As law professor Jonathan Turley pointed out, Swalwell could be disbarred, especially if the investigation into the rape allegations is confirmed. He’s also too toxic to be offered a contributor contract with a major network. Turley said that Swalwell is persona non grata, an apt term for this occasion:
In one week, Eric Swalwell was forced to drop out of the California race, put under criminal investigation in New York, and is the subject of a bipartisan expulsion effort. He was even kicked out of the home of a billionaire who was letting him crash. However, that is not all...
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 13, 2026
...I will be discussing Swalwell on America Reports today. However, the collapse of Swalwell is accelerating with the opening of what appears to be an expedited House Ethics Committee investigation.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 13, 2026
...I have been one of Swalwell's most persistent critics through the years. He has always been shielded by the Democratic establishment and the media. Now, he is persona non grata without a friend in the world.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 13, 2026
Swalwell allegedly raped a staffer in 2019 and then attacked her again in 2024 at a New York City charity event. That’s how the Manhattan District Attorney’s office is investigating this incident.