A tour group walks up on the East Front Plaza of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC.

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Dan Gooding

By Dan Gooding

Associate News Editor

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The House Ethics Committee released a list of 28 investigations into members of Congress over several decades on Monday amid two high-profile cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct by lawmakers.

The bipartisan committee said it was "dedicated to maintaining a congressional workplace free from sexual misconduct" as it released the list of cases, some of which ended in members losing their seat, while other cases were never resolved because a member left the House.

"Moreover, unfortunately, there likely exist matters never reported to the Committee," the committee's press release read. "As the Committee has repeatedly asserted to the House community, through investigative matters and other actions, it treats allegations of sexual misconduct with the utmost seriousness."

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Congressional leadership has come under increased pressure in recent weeks to tackle alleged sexual abuse, after the resignation of former California Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, and retirement of former Texas Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican, last week.

Full List of Investigations Release by House Ethics Committee

The committee released the list of publicly disclosed investigations involving alleged sexual misconduct by members of the House stretching back to 1976.

A tour group walks up on the East Front Plaza of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington on March 16, 2026.

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Recent Allegations of Sexual Misconduct: What To Know

Over the past two weeks, allegations of sexual misconduct by Swalwell and Gonzales led both to resign.

Swalwell, who was running for California governor, resigned from Congress and ended his campaign following multiple claims of sexual misconduct.

A former Swalwell staffer alleged two non‑consensual encounters—one in 2019 and another in 2024—and told investigators she was too intoxicated to consent during the latter incident. Another woman, who appeared publicly with attorney Lisa Bloom, accused him of drugging and assaulting her in a hotel room in 2018.

Swalwell has denied all accusations of sexual misconduct, posting on social media: "I will fight the serious false allegation made against me."

Gonzales opted to retire from Congress amid calls for his expulsion, following months of scrutiny over an affair with a staff member who died by suicide last year. He initially said he would not seek reelection in November anyway, but his early departure came amid the growing outrage from both sides of the aisle.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, has denied accusations of misconduct, referenced by Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who said he was facing allegations that were "sexual in nature." A spokesperson for Gallego's office told CBS News that the claims were "right-wing conspiracy theories."

Another recent high-profile case listed by the committee Monday was the investigation into former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican, who, according to a House Ethics Committee report, was found in late 2024 to have paid thousands of dollars to women for drugs or sex, including a 17-year-old in 2017.

What Is the House Ethics Committee Doing?

Alongside the release of the list of investigations, the committee reiterated that it takes allegations of sexual misconduct seriously and that even if evidence does not meet the legal threshold for a criminal case, conduct can still violate the Code of Official Conduct, which places higher standards on members of the House.

The statement said that there remained a hurdle to further investigations, which was the willingness of victims to come forward and share their testimony. The committee affirmed that it does not publish interview transcripts or share the sources of allegations against lawmakers.

"The Committee will continue to prioritize witness confidentiality and safety, so that those witnesses feel comfortable coming forward and providing the Committee the opportunity to hold wrongdoers accountable," the statement read. "Where the Committee finds evidence of sexual misconduct, it will continue to publicly release its findings and seek appropriate sanctions."

Elsewhere, a group of Republican women are leading a campaign to hold members accused of sexual misconduct to account.

"This is not a party issue. It never was," South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace told Newsweek in a statement April 17. "Republican or Democrat, if you are abusing the public trust or covering up your misconduct on the taxpayer's dime, you should be brought into the light and held accountable. No exceptions. The establishment has kept these records buried for too long. Our subpoena motion puts an end to it."

Update 4/20/26, 4:25 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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