Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), the House minority whip, stated Thursday that she by no means heard a “rumor” about alleged misconduct by former Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).
“I personally did not even hear a rumor about Eric Swalwell or Tony Gonzales until the allegations came out,” she informed host Kate Bolduan on “CNN News Central.”
“But we have a duty to act, and we have a duty and a standard that should be of the highest because we represent people,” the highest-ranking woman in Congress added. “We are public servants and we have to make sure that we are not just meeting the law but that we are doing that honorably and we do it and create a workplace that is secure.”
Gonzales and Swalwell resigned from the House on Tuesday amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which sparked separate probes by the House Ethics Committee. The workplace of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) can also be reportedly investigating allegations in opposition to Swalwell.
On Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle detailed accusations of sexual assault levied by a former aide in opposition to Swalwell, who was additionally operating for governor till he ended his campaign Sunday. CNN also reported on three girls who accused the California lawmaker of separate situations of sexual misconduct, together with sending them unsolicited express messages or nude photographs. CNN later reported on a fifth accuser.
The San Antonio Express-News reported earlier this yr that Gonzales had an affair along with his district director, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide. Text messages extracted from her telephone and offered by her widower to media shops, together with The Hill, confirmed Gonzales soliciting sexual materials from Santos-Aviles as she stated he was going too far.
Gonzales admitted to the affair final month. Swalwell, in the meantime, stated he’ll struggle the “false allegations” made in opposition to him however admitted to prior “mistakes in judgment” in announcing his resignation.
Clark stated that members of Congress “have to make sure” that their staffers know “how to report” allegations of sexual misconduct.
“We have to make sure we have a system that enables people, if these incidents happen to them to report it and know they will be taken seriously and that their jobs will be protected while an investigation goes forward,” Clark stated. “There clearly is a system here where people don’t feel they have that security, and that’s what we have to address.”
California Reps. Pete Aguilar and Ted Lieu, the third- and fourth-highest-ranking Democrats in the decrease chamber, additionally denied prior data of allegations in opposition to Swalwell on Wednesday.
“Personally, I found out when the … San Francisco Chronicle article was published on Friday, and then shortly thereafter, I think, the CNN article,” Aguilar informed reporters. “Just shock and saddened — I felt for the accusers who absolutely need to be believed, and just shocked and saddened for everybody involved.”
“Just deeply disturbing allegations and horrific in nature and ultimately the right outcome here with — with multiple members of Congress leaving yesterday. But just felt a sense of disgust, quite honest. And I think that’s the only way to say it,” he added.
“I had no idea until I read the San Francisco Chronicle article when it was published, and I believe Representative Swalwell did the right thing by resigning,” Lieu informed reporters.
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