Sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill: The problem that won't go away

Summary

Podcast Summary: Consider This from NPR

Episode: Sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill: The problem that won't go away

Date: April 13, 2026
Host: Mary Louise Kelly
Guests: Lisa Desjardins (PBS NewsHour)

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Overview of Main Theme

This episode addresses the resignation of Congressman Eric Swalwell amid sexual misconduct allegations and places it within the broader, persistent issue of sexual harassment and abuse of power on Capitol Hill. The discussion explores the specifics of the Swalwell case, the historical context of such misconduct in Congress, and the inadequacies of the current systems meant to address these allegations, questioning whether the #MeToo movement has led to substantive change within the halls of power.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Eric Swalwell Allegations and Resignation

• Eric Swalwell, a rising California Democrat and gubernatorial candidate, faces allegations of sexual misconduct from at least four women ([00:03]-[00:26]).
• Swalwell denied all allegations, calling them "flat false" and pledges to fight them, while also admitting to past mistakes in judgment that he says are between him and his wife ([00:16]-[00:41]).
• Faced with losing support, Swalwell suspended his governor campaign and announced his resignation from Congress, stating, “it’s wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties” ([01:41], [00:41]).

2. Prevalence and Patterns of Misconduct in Congress

• Sexual harassment in Congress is not new; numerous members, both Democratic and Republican, have faced similar accusations ([01:41], [04:33]).
• Lisa Desjardins notes: “Digging beneath the surface, it seems like the problem has actually grown again” ([04:33]-[04:59]).
• The show contextualizes this within a pattern of “open secrets” and a culture of impunity, highlighting that recent years have seen a resurgence in cases despite past reform efforts ([05:25]).

3. Impact of the #MeToo Movement and Remaining Obstacles

• #MeToo did prompt changes in Congressional rules, allowing survivors more avenues to report and challenge abuse ([05:40]).
• Desjardins: “Before then, really, they had almost virtually no chance of seeing the light of day… it was truly rigged against them. So that was changed, but now the system remains mired in red tape, to say the least. It's very slow” ([05:40]).
• Many staff do not trust internal reporting mechanisms, fearing their allegations won’t be taken seriously or might even harm their careers ([05:40]-[06:33]).
• Critics argue due process is often too skewed in favor of protecting accused members, allowing cases to drag on for years ([06:33]).

4. Unique Power Dynamics of Capitol Hill

• Congressional offices are described as “435 little kingdoms,” with each member setting their own office rules. Oversight is minimal; the only real check besides voters is the very high bar of a two-thirds expulsion vote by the Chamber ([07:11]).
• The fragmented nature of oversight and autonomy creates an environment where it’s easy for patterns of misconduct to go unchecked ([07:11]-[07:51]).

5. Transparency and Pending Reform Efforts

• Recent attempts at reform are covered, such as Rep. Nancy Mace’s failed resolution to force public disclosure of all sexual misconduct allegations and settlements involving lawmakers and staff ([07:51]).
• Though the resolution failed, Mace pushed through a subpoena for the same records in an oversight committee, but the subpoena itself had not yet been issued at the time of reporting ([08:18]).
• The segment ends with the uncertainty over whether the ethics investigation into Swalwell’s conduct will proceed now that he’s resigned ([09:04]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Eric Swalwell (regarding allegations):

  • “These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have.” ([00:16])
  • “I do not suggest to you in any way that I’m perfect or that I’m a saint. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife.” ([00:41])

• Mary Louise Kelly (on the culture of open secrets):

  • “You're describing this culture of open secrets that I think a lot of us hoped would be shrinking, not growing, in the years since the height of the MeToo movement in 2018.” ([05:25])

• Lisa Desjardins (on Congressional reporting systems):

  • “I've talked to staffers who don't trust it. And, in fact, I spoke to one congresswoman, Marcy Kaptur, who said her staff does not trust the process. They believe that their accusations are not taken seriously.” ([05:40])

• Lisa Desjardins (on office autonomy):

  • “Think of it as having basically, in the House of Representatives, 435 separate little kingdoms where the member of Congress really sets the rules for that office... there is no one that is really forcing them to abide by other standards.” ([07:11])

• Lisa Desjardins (on the pace of reform):

  • “Now, usually those subpoenas are dealt with rather promptly... but Nancy Mace says she still wants that information; she still will release those names of members of Congress and staff who have settled for misconduct in the past.” ([08:18])

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Key Timestamps

• [00:03] – Introduction of Eric Swalwell and outline of allegations
• [00:41] – Swalwell’s campaign suspension and admission of “mistakes in judgment”
• [01:41] – Context: pattern of congressional sexual misconduct allegations
• [03:08] – Lisa Desjardins details specifics of the allegations and corroborating evidence
• [04:33] – Discussion on the prevalence and resurgence of misconduct cases
• [05:40] – Impact and limitations of #MeToo-inspired reforms
• [07:11] – Explanation of decentralized power and lack of oversight in Congress
• [07:51] – Coverage of failed and ongoing transparency and reform efforts
• [09:04] – Final consideration: uncertain future for Swalwell’s ethics investigation

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Conclusion

The episode makes clear that despite moments of reckoning and headline reforms, congressional sexual misconduct remains a persistent and structurally enabled problem. While mechanisms for reporting improved post-#MeToo, day-to-day realities and inertia in oversight leave staffers vulnerable, and even major allegations can become buried in bureaucracy or considered “open secrets.” The episode underscores that true accountability and culture change remain incomplete on Capitol Hill.

Transcript

[Eric Swalwell]

A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

That is Representative Eric Swalwell of California speaking in a video message on Friday. The anonymous allegations he's referring to are allegations of sexual misconduct from at least four women.

[Eric Swalwell]

These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Swalwell was considered one of the top candidates in California's crowded governor's race. But on Sunday, after the allegations were reported, after key backers of his campaign started to distance themselves, Swalwell suspended his campaign.

[Eric Swalwell]

I do not suggest to you in any way that I'm perfect or that I'm a saint. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Consider Swalwell is the latest member of Congress to be accused of sexual misconduct. How common is a story like this? From npr, I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

[Ira Glass]

This is Ira Glass. On this American Life, we tell stories about when things change. Like for this guy David, whose entire life took a sharp, unexpected, and very unpleasant turn, and it did take me a while to realize it's basically because the monkey pressed the button. That's right, because the monkey pressed the button. Surprising stories every week. Wherever you get your podcasts,

[Mary Louise Kelly]

It's. Consider this from npr. A familiar story is playing out in Washington. A member of Congress accused of using his or her power to intimidate or pressure staffer. Someone with less standing, less power. The specific story this time, California Democrat Eric Swalwell, who until last night was running for governor of California. He's accused of sexual misconduct by multiple former staffers. NPR has not independently confirmed these allegations. The congressman denies it. Late this afternoon, he announced in a post on X that he was resigning his seat in Congress because, quote, it's wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Swalwell is far from the first member of Congress to face accusations of sexual misconduct. Almost eight years ago, PBS NewsHour congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reported on patterns of abuse in Congress and spoke to former staffers who were working to change the rules around reporting and consequences. I spoke with Lisa before Congressman Swalwell announced he was leaving Congress. Here's our conversation.

[Lisa Desjardins]

Hi there.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Hi. So let's ground this by starting with the specifics. What we know, what we don't, how we know it about the Swalwell case, this allegation, sexual misconduct that was reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets, just ground us in the facts here.

[Lisa Desjardins]

These are striking and very specific accusations. They are alarming. CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle together detailed accusations that they reported from four different women. The one that is the most serious is a woman who is unnamed, but which in both reports they said they checked her story and checked that she had conveyed her story to people at the time. And she says that twice, Congressman Swalwell, once when she worked for him and once after sexually assaulted her. Once she says she was essentially unconscious, that they had been drinking beforehand, she didn't remember happened. The other time, she said she protested, she pushed back, and she is accusing him of rape. The other accusations also run the gamut from inappropriate touching, but to include a lot of inappropriate texting, including of nude photos of the congressman, some over Snapchat. Now, the congressman has said, as you reported, that he is innocent, but he has acknowledged some wrongdoing in the past. And he apologized to his wife. He said initially he was going to fight this legally. His lawyers have put out two cease and desist letters to these women, but he has pulled back now from his

[Mary Louise Kelly]

race for governor, from the race from governor in California. You have covered Congress for years. How common is a story like this one that we are hearing now about Eric Swalwell?

[Lisa Desjardins]

Well, this is an unusual moment in that we now have multiple documented reporting cases reported by esteemed outlets that seem to have done a lot of homework here. Not just Congressman Swalwell, but Republican Texas Congressman, of course, Tony Gonzalez. In reporting about Congressman Gonzalez and now Congressman Swalwell, I have found that digging beneath the surface, it seems like the problem has actually grown again.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Has grown again. That's just astonishing.

[Lisa Desjardins]

You know, I think what happened after 2018 is we saw a real acknowledging of problems in the halls of power, inequity of power, especially affecting female staffers, not only female staffers. And I think there was a real attempt to address it then. But then I think there has been taking for granted of the idea that this problem has been solved. And there seems to be there has been a growing problem again.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

That's fascinating. I mean, you're describing this culture of open secrets that I think a lot of us hoped would be shrinking, not growing, in the years since the height of the MeToo movement in 2018.

[Lisa Desjardins]

The 2018 MeToo movement did change things in Congress. It rewrote the way that accusers, survivors could raise their cases before then, really, they had almost virtually no chance of seeing the light of day or even getting any kind of justice for their cause. It was really truly rigged against them. So that was changed, but now the system remains mired in red tape, to say the least. It is very slow. I've talked to staffers who don't trust it. And in fact, I spoke to one congresswoman, Marcy Kaptor, who said her staff does not trust the process. They believe that their accusations are not taken seriously. They're not sure they should raise them. And the system right now, the ethics system, there needs to be process, but the due process really does sort of a lot of there's a lot of critics who say it balances too much in favor of protecting the members, giving them sometimes years to answer accusations.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

You know, I wonder, too, obviously, reports of sexual misconduct have been documented at all kinds of offices. You know, Harvey Weinstein and his case being Central to the MeToo movement in a very different industry. But I do wonder about the power structure and the specific power dynamics on Capitol Hill. And I guess I'm wondering, you nodded to turnover every two years in the House, but also just that every member of Congress, they're in charge of the rolls for their own office. Right. Is there a comprehensive system on the Hill to address this?

[Lisa Desjardins]

There is to some degree, but there is no one that really has authority over each member of Congress except for themselves and the. So think of it as having basically in the House of Representatives, 435 separate little kingdoms where the member of Congress really sets the rules for that office. Please. There is no one that is really forcing them to abide by other standards. There are House rules that they have agreed to abide by, but it is really ultimately the voters. And then to expel a member requires two thirds power of each chamber. That is the only other lever that could affect a member's livelihood.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

There have been efforts, most recently, I'm thinking just a month or so ago, Nancy Mace, Republican congresswoman of South Carolina, tried to pass a resolution that, as I understand it, would have forced the House Ethics Committee to make public all reports of allegations against congressional lawmakers, against congressional aides, allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct. That effort failed. Why?

[Lisa Desjardins]

Well, it was a complicated effort. Actually, it did fail on the House floor. But immediately after that, Nancy Mace went into a committee, the Oversight Committee, and forced through a subpoena to subpoena those exact same records. Now, usually those subpoenas are dealt with rather promptly. They issue these subpoenas. It's a serious matter for a committee to subpoena something. But you know, I've been texting that committee. They have not issued that subpoena. But Nancy May says she still wants that information, she still will release those names of members of Congress and staff who have who settled for misconduct in the past. So it was voted down on the floor, but she did push it through committee.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Lisa Desjardins of the PBS NewsHour. Lisa, thank you very much for sharing your reporting.

[Lisa Desjardins]

You're welcome.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And a final note on our conversation. Now that Swalwell has resigned from Congress, it's not clear whether that ethics investigation we discussed will go forward. This episode was produced by Lena Muhammad and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Courtney Dorney. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigun. It's consider this from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.