Who Is Next? Viral X Warning Triggers Resignation Fears as Gonzales and Swalwell Quit Same Night Amid Sex Scandals

Two scandal-plagued House members announced their departures within an hour of each other on Monday night, and now a viral X post is warning that the congressional accountability crisis is far from over.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat facing sexual assault allegations from four women, announced he would resign from Congress.

Less than an hour later, Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican who admitted to an affair with a former staffer who later died by self-immolation, said he would 'file my retirement from office' when the House returned on Tuesday.

Shortly after the back-to-back announcements, an X post claiming 'multiple congressmen and women will resign this week due to incoming TMZ reports on their affairs and money laundering' went viral, triggering widespread speculation about who might be next.

A Night of Bipartisan Accountability

Both lawmakers were set to face expulsion votes this week before they announced their departures. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna had announced plans to introduce a resolution to expel Swalwell, while Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández planned a separate measure targeting Gonzales.

'We have successfully drained part of the swamp this week with the resignation of two very corrupt members of Congress,' Luna wrote on X following the announcements.

The dual departures maintain the current balance of power in Congress, with Republicans holding a slim majority. Some lawmakers had privately discussed a 'politically symmetrical purge' of one Democrat and one Republican to avoid upsetting the chamber's partisan makeup.

Swalwell's Swift Fall From Grace

Swalwell, 45, had been a frontrunner in California's gubernatorial race until last week, when multiple women came forward with allegations ranging from unwanted sexual advances to rape. One former staffer alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent.

The seven-term Democrat suspended his gubernatorial campaign on Sunday after losing endorsements from all 21 California Democrats who had backed him. The House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into his conduct on Monday, though his resignation will effectively end that probe.

Gonzales Given Deadline to Clarify Departure

Gonzales, also 45, faced scrutiny after admitting to an affair with Regina Santos-Aviles, his former regional director, who died last year after setting herself on fire outside her Uvalde home. San Antonio Express News obtained text messages between the two from Santos-Aviles' husband, with one May 2024 exchange showing Gonzales requesting a 'sexy pic'.

'I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,' Gonzales said in an interview on 'The Joe Pags Show' last month.

Leger Fernández wrote on X that Gonzales 'has until 2PM tomorrow' to clarify when he will leave. 'He better write that resignation effective immediately,' she added.

Mills Remains Under Ethics Investigation

The dual resignations have not quieted calls for accountability against other members. Rep. Cory Mills remains under House Ethics Committee investigation for allegations including campaign finance violations in his 2022 and 2024 campaigns, sexual misconduct, dating violence, and failure to properly disclose financial information.

A Florida judge granted a protective order against Mills in October after a former girlfriend accused him of threatening to release sexually explicit photos. Mills has denied all allegations.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez wrote on X that four members, including Mills and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, 'should resign' and 'if they refuse, they should be expelled.'

What Happens Next

The resignations maintain the current balance of power in Congress, with Republicans holding a slim majority. Special elections in both California and Texas will determine who fills the vacant seats.

For those tracking the viral post's predictions, the 'money laundering' claim aligns with ongoing ethics investigations but remains unsubstantiated.

The pattern of sexual misconduct allegations, however, has proved devastatingly accurate. Whether more resignations follow this week remains to be seen.