Congress Faces Turmoil: Resignations and Accountability in 2026

Congress Resignation Sexual Misconduct Political Accountability 2026

May 1, 202610 min readNorth America

Congress Faces Turmoil: Resignations and Accountability in 2026

Political upheaval as Congress grapples with misconduct and resignations

{"results": [{"url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/14/politics/swalwell-gonzales-resignation-congress-expulsion-threat", "title": "Swalwell and Gonzales resign from Congress under threat of expulsion | CNN Politics", "author": "Annie Grayer", "summary": "Summary focused on user query\n\n- News topic: Reuters/CNN report that Representatives Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales resigned from Congress under threat of expulsion, dated Apr 14, 2026.\n- Relevance to user query: The article details a highly unusual, dysfunctional moment in Congress, but it is not about Mike Johnson as Speaker or \u201cnormal Congress.\u201d It centers on two resignations amid potential expulsion, signaling ongoing turmoil in the House.\n- Key points likely of interest to your query:\n - Resignations occurred under threat of expulsion, illustrating instability in Congress.\n - Swalwell (Democrat) and Gonzales (Republican) represent different parties, suggesting bipartisan strain or scandal-driven pressure.\n - The coverage frames these events as part of a broader perception of \u201cnormal Congress\u201d being disrupted or "long gone," aligning with a narrative of Congress in upheaval.\n- Context you asked about (April 2026, House dynamics, proxy voting, Anna Paulina Luna, Mike Johnson as Speaker, \u201cnormal Congress\u201d): \n - The article does not appear to revolve around Mike Johnson\u2019s proxy voting or Anna Paulina Luna\u2019s actions.\n - It does not confirm a return to a traditional, stable Speaker-led Congress; rather, it underscores ongoing instability.\n- Bottom line: If you\u2019re tracking the idea that \u201cnormal Congress\u201d is no longer the norm, this report provides a concrete example of internal pressure and resignations signaling continued dysfunction, rather than a sign of restored normalcy under a Speaker like Mike Johnson. For specifics on Speaker dynamics or Luna\u2019s proxy voting, you may need to consult additional articles focused on those topics.\n\nIf you want, I can pull a tighter, bullet-point timeline of events and extract quotes relevant to \u201cnormal Congress\u201d claims and speaker dynamics."}, {"url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/15/politics/eric-swalwell-allegations-congress-downfall", "title": "Inside the sudden downfall of Eric Swalwell | CNN Politics", "author": "Sarah Ferris", "summary": "Summary:\n- The CNN piece chronicles Rep. Eric Swalwell\u2019s rapid political downfall in April 2026 after a wave of sexual misconduct and relationships with subordinates allegations became public.\n- The timeline shows a swift shift: mounting rumors and public allegations led to dozens of endorsements vanishing and Swalwell resigning from both Congress and a prospective California governor bid within about 100 hours.\n- Key drivers: a coordinated pressure campaign by Democratic leaders (notably Nancy Pelosi and female lawmakers) to cut ties with Swalwell, paired with bipartisan efforts to hold him accountable.\n- The article emphasizes how the party unity against Swalwell also aimed to set a precedent for accountability for other lawmakers, including a cross-party pact affecting GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales in connection with separate misconduct disclosures.\n- For readers tracking a broader \u201cnormal Congress\u201d in early 2026, the piece highlights perceptions of a fracturing, rapid political accountability environment, where leadership clout and intra-party dynamics can force abrupt exits.\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for AP-style context on \u201cnormal Congress\u201d in April 2026 (as requested in your query), this article illustrates a departure from typical steadiness: high-profile accusations, swift intra-party punishment, and a rapid reshaping of leadership roles and public trust, especially around sex misconduct allegations in Congress. It underscores that, even with established procedures and norms, political dynamics in 2026 appeared more volatile and quick to punitive action than in prior years."}, {"url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/19/politics/congress-culture-sexual-harassment", "title": "\u2018Cesspool of inflated male egos\u2019: Congress reckons with a culture of persistent sexual harassment | CNN Politics", "author": "Jeremy Herb, Lauren Fox, Annie Grayer, Sarah Ferris, Sunlen Serfaty, Allison Gordon", "summary": "Summary:\n- The article examines ongoing misconduct and a culture of harassment in Congress, sparked by fresh allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell. A former staffer describes a dismissive, casual handling of harassment within political offices, illustrating how Congress still operates with limited formal HR protections and slow ethics processes.\n- Key context: House offices lack robust internal HR, and harassment cases often rely on ethics committees, contributing to a culture where inappropriate behavior can be minimized or mishandled.\n- The piece places Swalwell\u2019s allegations within a broader pattern highlighted by reporting earlier in 2026, including investigations and calls for accountability, echoing the #MeToo-era reforms yet showing they haven\u2019t fully transformed congressional culture.\n- It references related political fallout around Swalwell (withdrawal from a governor\u2019s race, resignation from Congress, and criminal investigations) to illustrate how personal misconduct intersects with political consequences.\n\nRelevance to user query:\n- The article provides background on Congress\u2019s persistent harassment issues, aligning with themes of a \u201cnormal Congress\u201d being challenged. \n- It contextualizes how House dynamics, leadership, and ethics handling continue to shape responses to sexual misconduct, relevant to discussions of accountability in a changing House under leaders like Mike Johnson in April 2026."}, {"url": "https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/17/politics/house-fisa-foreign-surveillance", "title": "House agrees to 10-day FISA extension after collapse in GOP talks | CNN Politics", "author": "Ellis Kim, Sarah Ferris", "summary": "Summary:\n- The House narrowly approved a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) through April 30, 2026, after GOP efforts for a longer-term reauthorization collapsed overnight.\n- The GOP leadership, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, faced internal defections from rank-and-file conservatives who opposed the long-term plan amid privacy concerns over Section 702.\n- The proposed five-year reauthorization with changes stalled in the House; the final deal is a temporary patch sent to the Senate before moving to the president.\n- Trump had urged a clean 18-month extension, urging unity, but some Republicans pressed for amendments requiring warrants before querying Americans\u2019 communications.\n- The episode underscores ongoing tensions within the Republican caucus over surveillance powers, privacy protections, and how to balance national security with civil liberties.\n- Notable context: the article mentions figures like Rep. Andy Ogles and Rep. Chip Roy voicing frustrations; discussions occurred as the House sought a path forward in April 2026, with the speaker\u2019s strategy tested by intra-party divisions.\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for how this affects the stated AP-style \u201cnormal Congress\u201d portrayal (including proxy voting, Anna Paulina Luna\u2019s role, and Speaker Johnson\u2019s status) or want a comparison to AP reporting on governance norms, I can pull a focused brief comparing CNN\u2019s piece to AP summaries and highlight any deviations in emphasis."}, {"url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/24/congress-house-senate-overnight-votes/7553e298-3fd9-11f1-bb46-ed564688d953_story.html", "title": "Congress keeps holding all-nighters, creating dysfunction after dark - The Washington Post", "author": "Mary Clare Jalonick\u2009|\u2009AP", "summary": "Summary:\n- The Washington Post article reports that Congress has been frequently staying in session late into the night, contributing to dysfunction and fatigue in the legislative process.\n- It highlights tense, extended late-night votes and debates, including Senators expressing frustration with procedural delays while attempting to advance budget and immigration-related amendments.\n- The piece captures a sense of weariness among lawmakers, illustrating how the pressure and irregular hours affect deliberation and governance.\n- While the article centers on late-night dynamics, it underscores broader concerns about productivity, partisanship, and the effectiveness of congressional decision-making.\n\nNote: The user\u2019s query mentions AP reporting on normalcy of Congress, Mike Johnson, proxy voting, Anna Paulina Luna, April 2026, and House speaker status. The linked Washington Post article emphasizes late-night dysfunction in Congress, not specifically proxy voting or Speaker dynamics. If you want AP-specific angles on proxy voting, Speaker Johnson\u2019s tenure, or Luna\u2019s actions in April 2026, I can pull a separate AP-focused summary."}, {"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/18/congress-women-epstein-files-swalwell-gonzales/89629725007/", "title": "From Epstein to Swalwell, women in Congress are flexing their power", "summary": "Summary tailored to user query:\n\n- The article spotlights rising influence of women in Congress who are pushing ethics accountability across party lines, notably in April 2026.\n- It centers on Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-NM) leading bipartisan efforts to expel male colleagues accused of sexual misconduct: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX).\n- Luna rapidly moved to introduce resolutions to expel Swalwell, showing a shift where female lawmakers are taking decisive action when male leaders hesitate.\n- The piece frames these expulsions as part of a broader, post-Epstein Files Transparency Act backdrop, highlighting a pattern of female lawmakers holding powerful men accountable.\n- Contextual notes referenced include Swalwell\u2019s past roles, Gonzales\u2019 extramarital affair, and the rarity of expulsion in Congress (last being George Santos). The report emphasizes bipartisan cooperation among Luna and Fern\u00e1ndez as a notable departure from typical leadership dynamics.\n\nIf you want, I can filter further to focus specifically on: how these actions relate to Mike Johnson\u2019s position and proxy voting, or how this aligns with the notion of a "normal Congress" under the new Speaker, per Associated Press reporting."}, {"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/21/fisa-section-702-government-surveillance-congress/89658040007/", "title": "How government spying law FISA Section 702 is deeply dividing Congress", "summary": "Summary:\n- The article analyzes ongoing disputes in Congress over FISA Section 702, a 9/11-era surveillance law that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect foreigners\u2019 communications, with Americans\u2019 data potentially swept up.\n- As the renewal deadline nears, civil-liberties advocates push to tighten guardrails and require warrants, while some Republicans (including Speaker Mike Johnson at times) seek to extend or reform the law, arguing it\u2019s vital for national security amid rising Iran-related terrorism concerns.\n- bipartisan figures like Sen. Mike Lee (R) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D) co-authored an op-ed urging substantial changes to protect privacy, signaling unusual cross-party alignment on the issue.\n- President Donald Trump calls for an 18-month extension with few revisions, framing FISA as critical to military security, highlighting political cross-currents.\n- The piece places the debate in the broader context of the Iran war and national security, noting tensions between privacy protections and security objectives as Congress maneuvers toward or away from renewal. \n- The article mentions the \u201cnormalcy\u201d of governance being disrupted by late-night votes and internal party divisions, with Johnson navigating a fragile compromise among House Republicans.\n\nNote: This summary focuses on how FISA Section 702 renewal is dividing Congress, the key players, and the bipartisan tensions, which aligns with the AP/USA TODAY report\u2019s central points. If you want, I can tailor a version specifically addressing Mike Johnson\u2019s proxy-voting stance or the AP reporting about April 2026 developments."}, {"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/13/texas-tony-gonzales-resignation-from-us-house/89598257007/", "title": "Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales to resign after affair allegations", "summary": "- Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales announced his resignation from Congress after admitting to an affair with a former staffer, ending his reelection bid and withdrawing from a May GOP nomination runoff. He previously denied the allegations, calling them a blackmail attempt, then apologized and said he made a mistake.\n- The resignation follows scrutiny from House leaders and mixed reactions from members; some called for accountability for sexual misconduct, while others labeled resignation the appropriate course.\n- Context includes: Gonzales\u2019 communications revealing sexually explicit texts with the late staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, in 2024; Santos-Aviles\u2019 death in 2025; and prior political fallout from related ethics and misconduct stories in Congress this year.\n- Related developments noted: Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell also withdrawing amid sexual misconduct accusations; remarks from various lawmakers about accountability and ethics in the House."}, {"url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/13/politics/tony-gonzales-leaving-congress", "title": "Embattled GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales announces he\u2019s stepping down from Congress | CNN Politics", "author": "Sarah Ferris", "summary": "Summary:\nThe article reports that embattled Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales announced his resignation from Congress in mid-April 2026, just before a vote that could have expelled him. Gonzales was under House Ethics Committee investigation for having a relationship with a former aide. His resignation followed pressure from both parties amid a broader wave of accountability surrounding members facing sexual misconduct allegations, including Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who also resigned that night. The piece situates Gonzales\u2019 downfall within a wider GOP calculus about losing votes and the ongoing ethics investigations affecting House leadership dynamics. It also notes how high-profile calls for expulsions\u2014like from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna\u2014played into the strategic reshaping of House membership and the partisan maneuvering around investigations into Epstein-related mishandling and misconduct.\n\nRelevance to user query:\n- AP-style perspective on \u201cnormal Congress\u201d and proxy voting by Mike Johnson in April 2026: The CNN piece describes a period of intense partisan pressure and expulsions affecting the House, with leadership dealing with shifts in voting dynamics. It does not focus on Mike Johnson\u2019s proxy voting but provides context for a volatile, less \u201cnormal\u201d Congress.\n- Anna Paulina Luna: The article mentions Luna as a vocal proponent of expelling Gonzales and situates her within the broader expulsions discussions.\n- April 2026 House speaker and \u201cnormal Congress\u201d: The piece portrays a phase where long-standing norms are strained due to ethics investigations and expulsions, contributing to a perception that \u201cnormal Congress\u201d has been disrupted.\n- Associated Press angle: While CNN references multiple sources and events, it aligns with the AP-style narrative of ethics concerns, resignations, and partisan strategy that AP would cover in similar terms.\n\nIf you want, I can rewrite this as a tight AP-style brief focusing on:\n- Gonzales\u2019s resignation and ethics probe\n- Connection to Swalwell\u2019s resignation\n- Anna Paulina Luna\u2019s role\n- Implications for House leadership and voting margins\n- Context on the broader questions about \u201cnormal Congress\u201d and proxy voting under Mike Johnson\n\nWould you like that version?"}, {"url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/01/politics/dhs-shutdown-republican-leaders-plan", "title": "GOP leaders declare path to end DHS shutdown \u2014 but enormous hurdles remain | CNN Politics", "author": "Sarah Ferris, Aileen Graef", "summary": "Summary focused on your query\n\n- What this article covers: GOP leaders\u2019 attempt to end the DHS shutdown via a two-track plan, including a potential second Trump megabill tied to immigration funding, and the procedural route (reconciliation) being considered to bypass a Senate filibuster.\n- Relevance to \u201cnormal Congress\u201d and leadership: Highlights tension within House Republicans over immigration funding, a fragile GOP unity, and Speaker Mike Johnson\u2019s, plus Senate GOP Leader John Thune\u2019s, risked credibility as they navigate narrow margins ahead of midterms.\n- Key dynamics to watch (April 2026): \n - Whether the House will pass the Senate\u2019s partial DHS funding plan or demand more immigration enforcement money.\n - The feasibility and timing of using reconciliation to push immigration-related measures without Democratic votes.\n - Potential delays as intra-party disagreements persist and leadership strives for a second big immigration-focused bill by a self-imposed June 1 deadline.\n- Specific people/events mentioned: President Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, intra-party tensions in the House, and ongoing pressure post-recess.\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for details on how this affects the concept of a \u201cnormal Congress\u201d under Speaker Johnson, the article suggests: significant departure from standard bipartisanship, heavy reliance on reconciliation, and ongoing intra-party contention about immigration policy as the House negotiates funding to reopen DHS."}]}

Originally published by AP News.

Sources (18)

A New Jersey special election could soon narrow the House GOP’s razor-thin majority | CNN Politics

edition.cnn.com

Trump signs memo directing DHS to pay all workers amid shutdown | CNN Politics

cnn.com

How government spying law FISA Section 702 is deeply dividing Congress

usatoday.com

Hill GOP braces for ‘nightmare week’ as pressure mounts to end DHS funding standoff | CNN Politics

cnn.com

House agrees to 10-day FISA extension after collapse in GOP talks | CNN Politics

edition.cnn.com

Swalwell and Gonzales resign from Congress under threat of expulsion | CNN Politics

cnn.com

Ripple by The Washington Post

washingtonpost.com

From Epstein to Swalwell, women in Congress are flexing their power

eu.usatoday.com

More House Republicans are leaving Congress to run for governor than in decades amid frustration over ‘toxic environment’ | CNN Politics

cnn.com

Iran war has some Republicans worried their chances of keeping the House are slipping away | CNN Politics

cnn.com

US intel officials scramble to keep surveillance law running amid Iran war tensions | CNN Politics

cnn.com

Inside the sudden downfall of Eric Swalwell | CNN Politics

cnn.com

From Epstein to Swalwell, women in Congress are flexing their power

usatoday.com

‘Cesspool of inflated male egos’: Congress reckons with a culture of persistent sexual harassment | CNN Politics

edition.cnn.com

Embattled GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales announces he’s stepping down from Congress | CNN Politics

cnn.com

Congress keeps holding all-nighters, creating dysfunction after dark - The Washington Post

washingtonpost.com

Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales to resign after affair allegations

usatoday.com

GOP leaders declare path to end DHS shutdown — but enormous hurdles remain | CNN Politics

cnn.com

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