One of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., closest friends in Congress is putting distance between himself and the lawmaker, contending he had no idea about the bombshell accusations of sexual assault that have surfaced against the former gubernatorial candidate.

“I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said in a statement.

“The women who have come forward have shown courage,” he continued. “They deserve to be believed, to be supported, and to see justice served.”

HOUSE REPUBLICAN PLANS MOTION TO OUST SWALWELL FROM CONGRESS AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

Gallego’s turn on Swalwell came just minutes before the lawmaker announced his resignation from Congress.

He already pulled his endorsement of Swalwell’s now-defunct bid for governor shortly after the bombshell San Francisco Chronicle report was published, and said the lawmaker was “no longer fit to be a member of Congress” and supported the push to expel him from the lower chamber.

It’s the culmination of a swift about-face for Gallego, who has signaled a desire for a 2028 presidential bid and was once described by Swalwell as his “best friend in the world.”

The pair have been friends since Gallego’s time in the House and both came under fire for photos that surfaced of the duo riding shirtless on camels in Qatar as part of a private trip in 2021. And just days ago, Gallego defended Swalwell online.

PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEMS SLAM SWALWELL OVER BOMBSHELL SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’

“When you are in first place, is when they target you,” Gallego said on X. “Eric is a fighter and he will win the Governors race.”

Now, Gallego said he doesn’t know his once close friend.

“I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew,” Gallego said.

ERIC SWALWELL EXITS CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR RACE APOLOGIZING FOR PAST JUDGMENT WHILE DENYING CLAIMS

Swalwell resigned from the House Monday night after ending his gubernatorial campaign in California, a move that was spurred by the San Francisco Chronicle’s report that detailed allegations of sexual assault against him.

He currently faces allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from a former staffer and three other women.

In the House, Swalwell faced pressure from his colleagues to resign. That comes as the House Ethics Committee launched a probe against him and a campaign to expel him, and others, from the chamber was gaining steam.

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” Swalwell said in a statement. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”

Sharron Simmons, the first DoorDash employee to ever deliver a meal to the White House, said she hopes that the benefits she’s reaping from President Donald Trump’s no-tax-on-tips policy will extend past its current 2028 lifespan.

“Well, obviously, we would like for it to continue, but I’m going to enjoy it while I’ve got it. And, you know, it’s not for me to decide that,” she told Fox News Digital during a Monday interview shortly after delivering a McDonald’s order to Trump.

Overall, Simmons says she believes she’s taking home more than $11,000 in extra income.

“I figure that I’m probably going to be saving about $3,000 to $4,000,” Simmons said.

SCOOP: TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ TAX CUTS PROMOTED IN NEW REPUBLICAN AD BLITZ

Simmons’ story is one of the many ways the White House has attempted to highlight its work through Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the president’s signature tax and border security package.

Alongside tax breaks for tips, that bill also temporarily eliminated tax obligations for overtime pay, increased the senior deduction to $12,000 and upped the child tax credit by $200 per child.

WATCH IT: SPEAKER JOHNSON HEARDS FROM UBER DRIVER ON ‘NO TAX ON TIPS’ BENEFIT: ‘BIG DIFFERENCE’

Critics of the package have argued that the tax breaks are cutting down the country’s revenue and contributing to the national deficit, while its supporters contend it will grow the economy by putting more back in the hands of consumers.

SEN TIM SCOTT: REPUBLICANS JUST GETTING STARTED, BUT NEED TIME TO STOP RADICAL LEFTISTS

Simmons originally joined DoorDash as a way to generate a little extra revenue on the side, stating that she began her partnership with DoorDash because of its flexibility after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been doing DoorDash since 2022. And I just got into it because it was something that after COVID and everything, I didn’t have to go into an office. And I kind of felt like by doing this, I would be able to help other people,” Simmons explained.

Despite the future uncertainty of the policy’s current timeline, Simmons said she would focus on the present moment.

“[In] younger years, I didn’t feel like my voice could be heard. And I feel now like we are heard,” Simmons said.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released newly declassified testimony that she alleges shows a “coordinated effort” by the intelligence community to “manufacture a conspiracy” used as the basis of President Donald Trump first impeachment.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Monday released two declassified transcripts from closed-door House Intelligence Committee hearings that Gabbard’s office says show former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson advanced as credible a whistleblower complaint based on secondhand information from an individual who had previously worked with then-Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. Gabbard’s office argued that, based on this and other testimony, Atkinson’s actions “weaponize[d] the whistleblower process and exceed[ed] his statutory jurisdiction.”

Atkinson’s investigation helped trigger the first impeachment of Trump by advancing what he deemed a “credible” whistleblower complaint regarding a July 2019 phone call between the president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson “did not follow standard IG procedures and relied upon politicized, manufactured narratives” while investigating the whistleblower claim that ultimately led to Trump’s 2019 impeachment, Gabbard’s office said Monday.

GABBARD UNAWARE OF FBI PROBE INTO JOE KENT BEFORE RESIGNATION, OFFICIAL SAYS

Gabbard, citing previously classified House testimony by Atkinson, said the former inspector general “aggressively advanced” his preliminary probe while relying on secondhand testimony and what she described as politicized witnesses. Gabbard’s office also charged that Atkinson “never conducted a formal or complete investigation.”

“In his own words, IC IG Atkinson recognizes that his conclusions were based on a ‘preliminary investigation,’ noting that ‘I haven’t done an investigation to determine whether they actually, in fact, took place … that all of the alleged actions actually took place,’” according to the statement from Gabbard. 

Under federal law, the inspector general’s preliminary role is to determine whether a whistle-blower complaint “appears credible,” rather than to fully investigate or substantiate the underlying allegations. Atkinson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The testimony reveals that Atkinson was aware that the primary whistleblower, whose identity has still not been officially disclosed, was a “registered Democrat” and had alerted staff on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence before submitting their “Disclosure of Urgent Concern” form, Gabbard’s office said.

The whistleblower also admitted having “worked closely with Vice President Biden” and “travelled with Biden to Ukraine and was part of conversations where LUTSENKO corruption was discussed,” according to the DNI release. Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraine’s prosecutor general from 2016 to 2019, was the official who inherited and closed the Burisma investigation and was subsequently courted by Hunter Biden-linked lobbyists seeking to facilitate connections between the Ukrainian government and Democratic political circles, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

Gabbard also accused Atkinson of ignoring any bias, highlighting testimony in which he said, “I also want to make it clear that I never considered the whistleblower to be politically biased.”

FBI’S CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP-RUSSIA ACTIONS PREDICTED WITH ‘ALARMING SPECIFICITY’ BY FOREIGN ACTORS: SOURCES

The office said that on the initial form submitted by the whistleblower, they admitted, “I do not have direct knowledge of private comments or communications” by Trump. Notably, whistleblower laws do not require a whistleblower to provide first-hand information, according to the National Whistleblower Center.

Gabbard’s office said one of the “key” witnesses Atkinson relied on to corroborate the whistleblower’s report during his preliminary investigation was also a co-author of the controversial 2017 intelligence community assessment on Russian collusion that Gabbard has previously said was instigated at the direction of former President Barack Obama.

JAMES CLAPPER, JOHN BRENNAN HIT BACK AT TRUMP ALLEGATIONS ABOUT RUSSIA PROBE AS ‘PATENTLY FALSE’

Gabbard, herself a former Democrat, accused Atkinson of having “failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth.”

“Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States,” said Gabbard. “And this, along with the politicization of the whistleblower process by a former CIA employee who was working hand in glove with Democrats in Congress, are egregious examples of the deep state playbook on how to weaponize the Intelligence Community.”

She added that “exposing these tactics and showing how they undermine the fabric of our democratic republic furthers the critical cause of transparency and accountability and will help prevent future abuse of power.”

Democratic lawmakers largely dismissed the disclosures from Gabbard, framing the declassification as an attempt by the DNI to win favor from Trump. 

“This is a nothingburger — just another sad attempt by Tulsi Gabbard to get in Donald Trump’s good graces,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Politico’s NatSec Daily newsletter. 

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also criticized the declassification on X. 

“Everyone can read the transcript of Trump’s phone call to extort President Zelenskyy for dirt on Biden. That was an impeachable offense, and no amount of dust kicking and sycophancy can obscure it,” Himes wrote. “Had Joe Biden made that call, Republicans would have burned the place down.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to House and Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats for additional comment. 

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, abruptly announced his decision to resign from Congress Monday evening amid calls for him to step aside after admitting to sexual misconduct with a staffer earlier this year.

The embattled lawmaker was facing an anticipated expulsion vote that could have occurred as early as this week. 

“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,” Gonzales wrote on social media. “It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”

It is currently unclear when Gonzales will formally resign. A spokesperson for Gonzales did not immediately respond to request for comment.

His announcement came just an hour after Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said he planned to resign after facing allegations of sexual misconduct and rape.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., announced he would resign his congressional seat on Monday on the heels of multiple bombshell reports last Friday that forced him to drop out of a bid to become the next governor of California.

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said ina statement. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” he continued. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”

While Democrats fell short of calling on Swalwell to resign his seat, the Chronicle’s scathing reporting left a wave of Swalwell’s colleagues rescinding their support for his campaign — including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Pelosi urged that consideration of the accusations against Swalwell take place outside of the context of his campaign.

SWALWELL CAMPAIGN SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AFTER ACCEPTING $25K DONATION FROM CCP-TIED LAWYER: ‘OUTRAGEOUS’

“The young woman who has made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell must be respected and heard. This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that this is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign,” Pelosi said in statements given to NBC.

A number of other Democrats soon joined the former speaker’s calls, with a handful rescinding previous endorsements of the campaign.

“I’ve read the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting, and I take it seriously,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said in a post to X.

“What is described is indefensible. Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed,” he added.

Swalwell first became a member of the House of Representatives in 2013. Before his time in Congress, Swalwell served as a prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a city councilmember in Dublin, California, in 2010.

ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE

As a member of the House, Swalwell helped spearhead impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump in 2019 and, before that, led inquiries on whether Russian interference had meaningfully impacted the 2016 presidential election.

It’s unclear if Swalwell’s resignation marks an end to his political career.

In its Friday report, the San Francisco Chronicle detailed graphic accounts from a woman accusing Swalwell of pursuing intoxicated women, pressuring employees into intimate situations and asking for explicit images from female contacts.

Rumblings of misconduct from Swalwell first emerged earlier this month when Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer and a political media personality, began circulating testimony from women who said they had been sexually assaulted by the congressman.

‘USEFUL PUPPET’: ERIC SWALWELL IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER TRAVELING TO DOHA ON SEVERAL QATAR-SPONSORED TRIPS

“The Democratic candidate currently leading in the California governor’s race has a known history of being predatory towards women,” Hunt claimed in a post to social media.

Despite initially remaining moot on the allegations, Swalwell’s office broke its silence on the matter in comments made to the New York Post earlier this week.

“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell, said.

Swalwell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump turned a McDonald’s delivery into a Tax Day pitch Monday, bringing a DoorDash driver to the White House to tout the elimination of taxes on gratuities — and then surprising her with a cash tip from his pocket. 

Trump welcomed Arkansas native Sharon Simmons to the White House on Monday, where the DoorDash delivery driver handed off two bags of the president’s favorite fast food while promoting Trump’s “no tax on tips” policy ahead of Tax Day. As he gaggled with reporters and Simmons, the “DoorDash Grandma” was asked about tips received at the White House. 

“Are the White House good tippers?” a member of the media asked Simmons. 

“Wait,” Trump said before reaching into his pocket to whip out what appeared to be a $100 bill and hand it to Simmons.

BESSENT BLASTS DEMOCRAT-LED STATES FOR BLOCKING TRUMP TAX RELIEF IN OBBBA

“You reminded me,” he continued. 

After accepting the tip, Simmons responded that the White House has “very” good tippers. 

VANCE WARNS OF ‘PENALTY’ FOR DEMS WHO OPPOSED THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL, BILL’ AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, tip earners may make up to $25,000 in tax-deductible income from 2025 through 2028, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank that studies tax policy.

“I heard you picked up an extra $11,000 that you wouldn’t get because the tax bill was so big, the refund was the biggest you’ve ever had,” Trump said while speaking with Simmons. 

Simmons, a grandmother of 10, has completed over 14,000 deliveries since she began in 2022, according to a DoorDash press release.

TRUMP BLASTS SPANBERGER AHEAD OF VIRGINIA MEETINGS, SAYS STATE FACES TAX BASE EXODUS LIKE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA

“Since No Tax on Tips was enacted, we estimate Dashers have saved hundreds of millions of dollars,” the release read.

Max Rettig, DoorDash global head of public policy, said in the release that this moment marks a win for millions of Dashers nationwide, who can now keep more of their earnings when filing their taxes this year.

“DoorDash is proud to advocate on behalf of Dashers like Sharon and push for policies like No Tax on Tips because they deliver real impact to so many hardworking people and their families,” said Rettig.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for additional comment.

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Saturday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to temporarily resume construction of his planned White House ballroom, granting a near-term win to the administration as it pushes forward with the nearly $400 million project. 

The case stems from a lawsuit filed late last year by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sought to block the construction. The group argued that the project violates multiple federal laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and charged that the plans amounted to executive overreach without required approval from Congress and federal planning bodies.

A lower court judge last month put the project on hold, triggering the administration’s appeal.

TRUMP ADMIN FIGHTS IN COURT TO KEEP WHITE HOUSE EAST WING DEMOLITION, $300M BALLROOM BUILD ON TRACK

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, in March issued a preliminary injunction blocking construction of the ballroom, finding the Trump administration likely lacked the legal authority to proceed without congressional approval. He said the government had not shown it had clear authorization to replace parts of the East Wing with a privately funded structure.

Leon’s order paused most construction work on the ballroom, though he allowed activity tied to White House security concerns, and briefly delayed enforcement of his ruling until mid-April, to give the administration time to appeal the case to a higher court.

The Trump administration quickly asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to intervene, arguing that the project is critical to the safety and security of the “president, his family, and White House staff.”

The 2-1 ruling from the circuit court did not immediately side with the Trump administration, but gave it temporary relief.

A majority of judges on the panel said the court needed more explanation from Leon before deciding whether construction should remain blocked. 

Specifically, the judges asked Leon to clarify whether stopping the project would harm national security, as the Trump administration claims.

US APPEALS COURT HALTS TRUMP CONTEMPT PROBE ORDERED BY BOASBERG, FOR NOW

The appeals court also paused Leon’s order through April 17, giving the Trump administration time to ask the Supreme Court for emergency intervention if it chooses.

For now, the case will return to the district court for further explanation.

Trump first announced plans for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom in July, initially estimating the cost at around $200 million. He has said the project would be funded “100% by me and some friends of mine.”

Lawyers for the administration have pushed back on the lawsuit, arguing the president has authority over White House construction decisions and that Congress does not need to approve the project.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW EL SALVADOR DEPORTATION FLIGHT CASE

“No taxpayer dollars are being used for the funding of this beautiful, desperately needed, and completely secure… ballroom,” Justice Department lawyers said in court filings.

They added that past White House expansions, including the East and West Wings, did not require congressional involvement in their design or construction.

The National Trust, meanwhile, maintains the project cannot move forward without complying with federal law and proper review processes.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the ongoing litigation or whether it plans to seek Supreme Court intervention.

EXCLUSIVE: One of the Democratic Party’s top rising stars, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, is coming under increasing fire as critics accuse her of pulling a “bait and switch” on voters by abandoning her affordability promises in favor of tax increases on “just about anything that moves.”

A new ad released by Unleash Prosperity on Monday slammed Spanberger over her affordability promises as Virginia Democrats propose new taxes on everyday expenses like dry cleaning, gym memberships and pet care. Unleash Prosperity’s ad puts it bluntly, saying, “Virginia can’t afford this.”

The governor has not publicly supported or signed the measures. A statement by the governor’s office sent to Fox News Digital on Monday emphasized that Spanberger did not sign the tax bills into law “because the General Assembly never passed them, and the bills never reached her desk.” The statement said that Spanberger has “remained laser-focused on addressing high costs for Virginians.”

However, Spanberger has supported a broader set of revenue measures since taking office, including proposals targeting digital services and business activity, as part of an effort to fund priorities such as education and healthcare.

TRUMP BLASTS SPANBERGER AHEAD OF VIRGINIA MEETINGS, SAYS STATE FACES TAX BASE EXODUS LIKE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA

Steve Moore, an economist who co-founded Unleash Prosperity, told Fox News Digital that while Spanberger cashed in on Virginians’ worries over prices, she “raced out of the gate with all of these very liberal policies, including tax increases on just about anything that moves in Virginia.”

Moore said Democrats across the country should take Spanberger’s decline as a “warning” ahead of 2028.

There has been much buzz around Spanberger and her gubernatorial victory last year, which resulted in Republicans being ousted from power in Virginia. The Democratic Party selected her to give its response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, further evidencing her stardom.

Yet, despite the Democrats elevating her and even floating her as a presidential or vice-presidential pick, Moore said Virginians have been “shocked about that,” explaining why her approval ratings have “absolutely plummeted.”

“She has seen one of the swiftest declines in her popularity in the first six months in office that I’ve seen in many years of politics,” Moore said.

Forty-six percent of Virginians disapprove of her job performance, while 47% approve, according to a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll. Compared with Virginia governors from both parties since 1994, Spanberger has the highest disapproval rating at this point in her term.

In contrast, predecessor Gov. Glenn Youngkin had a 54-39 job approval rating at this point in his term, with the highest favorability going to Democrat Mark Warner – now Virginia’s senior senator – at 78-20.

Moore called Spanberger’s tumbling ratings “the price for her bait-and-switch tax hike on Virginia residents and small businesses.”

DEMS WHO RAN ON AFFORDABILITY NOW FACE BACKLASH AS COSTS CLIMB IN NY, VIRGINIA

“She campaigned on affordability, and nearly on day one in office, she and Virginia Democrats in Richmond endorsed a catalog of left-wing tax increase proposals on everything from dry cleaners to dog groomers, which make Virginia look like California,” he said.

“Spanberger promised to be a pro-business moderate Democrat,” he went on, quipping, “Maybe she should be known as ‘Scam-Berger.’”

Moore said Spanberger’s quick decline in the polls does not bode well for the Democratic Party’s hopes of taking back the White House in 2028.

“Spanberger is not alone,” he explained. “We’re seeing that with a lot of Democrats around the country; they run as moderates and as soon as they get in, they move to the extreme left.”

“You’re seeing Democrats who are governors and mayors across the country who are advancing very liberal pro-tax policies that are anti-business. And I think it’s a very tough agenda for Democrats to run with in 2028 on the national picture,” he went on.

“That should be a warning signal to Democrats across the country.”

VIRGINIA DEMS TAKE TAX HIKES INTO OVERTIME, TARGET FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUES 

Last week Trump took a similar line of criticism against Spanberger ahead of meetings in the state. He warned in a Truth Social post that her policies are triggering a tax base exodus similar to New York and California.

“She is adding so many Taxes, a Food and Beverage Tax, Digital Services Tax, Utilities Tax, and more,” Trump wrote. “It has lost its Energy, Vitality, and Strength. People are leaving that would never have even thought of doing so!”

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Spanberger’s office slammed criticisms of the governor raising taxes as “misinformation.”

“The volume of misinformation — spread across social media and repeated in press coverage — made a clarification necessary. The facts are straightforward,” the statement said. “Governor Abigail Spanberger did not sign dozens of tax bills into law — because the General Assembly never passed them, and the bills never reached her desk.”

The office added that “in the opening months of her administration, Governor Spanberger has remained laser-focused on addressing high costs for Virginians” and is “also working alongside legislators and local communities to attract new capital investment.”

Spanberger has also pushed back on the criticism herself. In a post on X, she said Trump and his allies were mischaracterizing her policies.

“The president and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn’t sign,” she wrote. “Why? Because if they don’t flood the zone with fake news about fake taxes, people might hear about the bills I am signing to lower energy costs, strengthen our schools, make housing more affordable, and bring billions of dollars of business investment to Virginia.”

A Spanberger spokesperson added that businesses have announced “more than $500 million in new investment in the commonwealth since Governor Spanberger took office in January,” while accusing Trump of focusing on politics instead of economic stability.

“The ballgame changed when the President — whose been busy raising costs for Virginians by starting a reckless war that has skyrocketed inflation and driven gas prices up to $4 — strong-armed states into drawing more Republican congressional seats that he asserted he was ‘entitled’ to before the midterms,” the governor’s spokesperson said. “As prices rise in Trump’s economy, Governor Spanberger will continue her work with both parties to address the high housing, healthcare and energy costs that Virginians are feeling.”

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., an embattled lawmaker facing a potential expulsion threat, is the target of an investigation by the House Ethics Committee, the panel announced Monday.

At least four women have accused the California Democrat of sexual misconduct, according to multiple reports. The House panel said it is investigating an allegation “that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision.”

Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign Sunday night amid widespread backlash following the sexual misconduct allegations.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has vowed to introduce a resolution this week expelling Swalwell if he does not resign. Some Democrats have said they will support the measure. 

A spokesperson for Swalwell did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan called for President Donald Trump to be removed from office, joining a growing list of Democrats who say Trump’s Truth Social posts threatening Iran were unlawful.

Brennan, who is currently under investigation by the Justice Department, appeared on MS NOW for an interview with Ali Velshi. He said that the 25th Amendment, which establishes the protocol to remove the president, “was written with Donald Trump in mind.”

“Allowing someone like this to continue to be the commander in chief and to control the tremendous capabilities of the U.S. military, including our nuclear weapons capability, which he seemed to allude to when he said he’s going to just eliminate a entire civilization,” Brennan said. “Again, we really are in very, very troubling times.”

More than 70 lawmakers are calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against Trump following a slew of threats he made on Truth Social toward Iran regarding reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

TRUMP IRAN THREAT SPARKS CALLS FOR HIS OUSTER, BUT ONE DEM SAYS EFFORT ‘NOT REALISTIC’

The president made his first threat on Easter Sunday, giving Iran a deadline of Tuesday, April 7, at 8 p.m. Hours before the deadline, Trump posted on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight.”

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Right before the deadline, Trump announced that the United States and Iran had reached a two-week ceasefire agreement. But after negotiations in Pakistan this weekend, Trump announced on Truth Social Sunday that the U.S. Navy will begin to block all ships entering and exiting the Strait of Hormuz beginning Monday.

Since the start of the Iran war, Brennan has been publicly outspoken in his criticism of Trump’s handling of the conflict. He’s been a regular on MS NOW, suggesting a month ago that Trump is “flailing” and “clueless” about handling the war.

Notably, the Justice Department launched an investigation into Brennan in July 2025, stemming from allegations that Brennan improperly handled a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which found that Russia was seeking to influence the 2016 presidential election in Trump’s favor. 

The 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment included the Steele dossier, a debunked collection of memos alleging Trump colluded with Russia, but Brennan testified before Congress that the document “was not in any way used as a basis for the Intelligence Community assessment that was done.” House Republicans alleged that Brennan had lied in his 2023 Judiciary Committee testimony by denying that the CIA used the Steele dossier in preparing the assessment. The DOJ investigation is ongoing. 

Lawyers for Brennan said they have been informed he is a target of the investigation but have not been told of any “legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation,” according to The Associated Press.

Brennan also previously pushed back on the allegations of wrongdoing, including claims from Trump and his allies that Brennan helped promote a “contrived narrative” that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump, which became central to the FBI’s Russia collusion investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign. 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Fox News that the DOJ probe is “heating up” last month in an appearance on “Hannity” and predicted that Brennan would soon face “accountability.” 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.