- Resignations and threats of expulsion of U.S. lawmakers over ethics scandals and corruption charges .
- Epstein's scandals are not the only ones, moral collapse is an endemic feature of the ruling elite's practices!!
Afrasianet - Two U.S. lawmakers have announced their resignation from the House of Representatives and two others are facing expulsion, under pressure from both Democrats and Republicans over a series of ethics and political scandals.
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced his resignation after some women accused him of sexual assault and harassment. He also suspended his campaign for governor.
One former employee told CNN that she had been sexually assaulted, while others detailed Swalwell's behavior with them, which ranged from sending unwanted images to sexual contact without their consent.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzalez of Texas announced his resignation, amid mounting pressure after admitting to having an extramarital affair with a contractor who later committed suicide.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders have called on Gonzales not to run again in November's midterm elections.
Dismissal of two deputies
Democratic Rep. Sheila Schervelus McCormick is facing impeachment from Congress over suspicion of campaign finance irregularities.
Republican Rep. Corey Mills faces expulsion from the House of Representatives, accusing him of sexual assault, domestic violence and campaign finance and gift violations.
The expulsion proceedings are due to begin this week. The expulsion of a member of the House of Representatives requires a two-thirds majority.
U.S. lawmaker resigns from Congress after spat with Trump over Epstein files
Right-wing U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she would resign from Congress, a week after President Donald Trump withdrew his support for her.
The Republican lawmaker, who is an influential figure on the far right, said in a video posted online that she "has always been humiliated in Washington , D.C., and has never cohabited."
She added that she does not want her supporters and family to endure "a hurtful and hate-filled primary against me by the president for whom we all have fought for," noting that "Republicans are likely to lose the midterm elections."
The 2020 Georgia lawmaker said, "I will resign from my position and my last day of work will be on January 5, 2026."
Greene was a prominent figure in the Trump "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, but the president announced on Nov. 7 that he was withdrawing his support for her, followed by a series of posts on his Truth Social platform in which he attacked Greene as "light" and even "traitorous" to the Republican Party.
Trump's former political ally later said she had been subjected to a wave of threats.
"Defending American women who were raped, trafficked and exploited at age 14 by wealthy and influential men should not lead to my being labeled a traitor and threatened by the president of the United States for whom I fought," she said.
Greene's shock resignation is the clearest sign yet of the growing division within the MAGA movement, and with Democrats winning strong electoral victories this month.
The movement has been particularly divided over Trump's backlash over the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose network allegedly included several U.S. elite figures.
On Wednesday, Trump signed a bill that would publicly disclose all files related to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in prison during his trial on charges of running a prostitution network involving underage girls.
On the same day, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced his resignation from OpenAI's board after Congress released emails revealing close contacts between him and Epstein.
The fall of American politician Eric Swalwell after a scandalous video, new accusations of rape and his attempt to defend himself
Resigned U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, who has recently come under fire from criticism, broke his silence after new rape allegations were made against him.
Swalwell categorically denied all the accusations, calling them "fabricated allegations" and a "coordinated political campaign" that had nothing to do with justice or truth.
His response came after a press conference in which a new woman, former model Luna Drews, revealed that she had been raped by him at the Boyce Hollywood Hotel in 2018. She said he put a substance in her drink, strangled her and sexually assaulted her, causing her deep psychological effects that lasted for years.
She said she thought he was her boyfriend and that she hoped that Swalwell would help her with her fashion design company.
She confirmed that she did not approve of any sexual activity, and that she documented the incident and informed those close to her, but delayed filing a complaint due to fear of his political influence and legal background.
Swalwell, who is facing accusations from several women, including rape allegations, vowed through his lawyer to legally confront what he called "false allegations" and assured that the truth would come out.
The development comes amid sharp criticism of the US politician, who recently announced his resignation from his position after a video of him engaging in intimate behavior with a female employee went viral, in which he expressed regret for his mistakes in front of his family and constituents.
Last week, four women charged Swalwell, who was considered a leading candidate for governor of California, with inappropriate acts, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
The U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee announced that it had launched an investigation into whether he was "involved in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision."
But two days ago, Swalwell filmed a video denying accusations of rape and sexual assault from inside a luxury mansion in Beverly Hills owned by a billionaire businessman known for his bizarre nature.
"I had an affair with our president".. revealed a shocking message that preceded the US lawmaker's aide resorting to "self-immolation"
On the other hand, a text message published by the "New York Post" newspaper revealed that the assistant of US Rep. Tony Gonzalez had an affair with him, months before she set her body on fire to death.
According to a screenshot of the conversation obtained by the New York Post, Regina Santos-Aviles appeared to acknowledge the relationship in the early morning hours of April 28, 2025, writing, "I had a relationship with our boss and I'm fine."
The San Antonio Express-News first reported that Santos-Avilis had confessed to her co-worker, who later withdrew her endorsement of Gonzalez in the March 3 Republican primary, saying the congressman "has questions that he has to answer."
Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, said in a statement to the New York Post on Wednesday that he "will not engage in these personal campaigns, and will instead remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans."
"Ms. Santos-Avilis was a good soul who dedicated her life to making the community a better place. "Their efforts have led to unprecedented improvements in school safety, health care, and water supply in rural areas."
"It is shameful that [his primary rival] Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former employee to smear her memory and achieve political gain, and is pushing these allegations precisely on the day early voting began," the lawmaker said.
" I don't want to die" .. the last words to help a U.S. lawmaker before it burns
On September 13, 2025, Santos-Aviles poured gasoline on herself and set her body on fire in her home in the city of Uvalde, and died the next day from her injuries. She was 35 years old, married and mother of one child, and served as González's regional director for the 23rd District, which includes large parts of West Texas bordering Mexico.
Her colleague, who leaked the letter and later moved to Los Angeles, said the relationship became known among the bureau's employees during the 2024 election cycle. In May of that year, she called him crying after her husband, Adrienne Avilis, discovered messages between her and Gonzalez confirming the relationship, and he sent them to local staff to find out.
Her status in the office declined, and Gonzalez canceled her rank meetings, and she no longer accompanied him on his visits. The colleague also informed office manager Jalen Falcone in June 2025 of concerns about her mental health.
Gonzalez, who had described reports published by the Daily Mail in October as "completely untrue rumors". Her mother also denied reports that the relationship was continuing after her daughter's separation from her husband.
In December, the Texas Attorney General's Office decided to withhold emergency 911 recordings, police reports and videos related to the incident, while the ex-husband's attorney noted that his client was concerned about the release of his late wife's private records.
A resounding scandal. U.S. secretary married in "inappropriate relationship" with her employee took subordinates to a strip club
An internal investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor revealed controversial behavior by 57-year-old Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Dermer, which included accusations of having an "inappropriate relationship" with one of her subordinates and taking employees to a strip club during an official trip to Oregon in April 2025.
According to the New York Post report based on five sources familiar with the matter, the investigation — which began after a formal complaint filed in January 2026 — also includes accusations of "travel fraud," in which the secretary allegedly asked her chief of staff Jihoon Han and his deputy Rebecca Wright to falsify reasons for official trips to cover personal or family visits, including to Nevada.
Travel records showed that taxpayers covered the expenses of the trip to Oregon for a total of $2,890.06, which included transportation, accommodation and meals. Evidence suggests the visit to the Angels PDX strip club took place on April 18, after an official tour that included a meeting with Gov. Tina Kotick and Intel officials.
Investigators also uncovered a "stock" of alcohol — including champagne — in the minister's office and staff, accusations of assigning employees to personal tasks while receiving government salaries, as well as creating a hostile work environment that included bullying and insults.
Both Hahn and Wright were placed on mandatory leave after accusations that they deliberately misled the White House and pressured staff to silence rumors about the secretary's relationship. Wright was quoted as telling staffers, "We don't care what the president looks like... What is important to us is that the minister appears well."
The Office of the Inspector General, headed by former Republican Anthony DeSpezitto, is conducting extensive interviews with officials and staff, and is looking for additional evidence — including video footage — about alleged meetings between the secretary and her subordinates in Washington and Las Vegas.
Epstein Island scandals still present
Returning to the Epstein scandals, a new photo has revealed that Bill Clinton took former US President Jeffrey Epstein and his assistant Ghislaine Maxwell as personal guests to attend the party of an Arab leader now, without being invited.
The New York Post reported that Clinton's private entourage was shocked when asked to arrange to add Epstein and Maxwell to his guest list at the royal wedding of Morocco's King Mohammed VI, despite having no official connection to him. Clinton had gained recognition in Morocco after attending the funeral of the late King Hassan II three years earlier.
Clinton appeared in a group photo with Epstein, Maxwell and his daughter Chelsea, which was taken during the ceremony and published exclusively with the report. "Bring them as guests to a royal wedding. It almost seems made up," he asks, "How many times in your life have you been invited as another guest's guest at a wedding?".
According to the sources, members of Clinton's team considered this request to be a violation of diplomatic and social protocol, and the issue has been debated in Democratic political circles for more than two decades.
The details come as Clinton continues to downplay his past relationship with Epstein as the U.S. Department of Justice prepares to release files related to the millionaire's crimes that were not made public at the time of the Moroccan king's wedding.
A second source confirmed that the staff of the 42nd president of the United States "insisted" and "pressured" to include Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence on sex trafficking charges, and Epstein, who died in his prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on similar charges, as part of the Clinton delegation.
The source explained that Hillary Clinton could not attend because she was busy with the work of the Senate, while Chelsea showed a strong desire to attend, as did President Clinton. "The idea of taking Epstein was mind-boggling, but anyway, the Clinton office made this bizarre request and it was approved."
It was unclear how Moroccan officials reacted when the request was received, but the end result was approval, with Clinton traveling with Epstein and Maxwell on the millionaire's private jet called Lolita Express to Morocco, while Chelsea Clinton, then an Oxford student, traveled separately.
The second source asked disapprovingly: "What kind of person would force extra guests to a wedding?" He pointed out that the rules of social fitness allow bringing companions only for the couple or the engaged.
During the ceremony, Chelsea Clinton insisted on taking a commemorative photo with her father and his companions, which was also attended by former Moroccan ambassador to the United Nations Abdessalam Jedidi and another unknown person.
Both sources asserted that Clinton's current accounts of his relationship with Epstein and Maxwell do not reflect the full truth, and that his motives for his closeness to the duo remain not fully understood. Although the two sources do not believe Clinton was aware of Epstein's criminal activities related to the sex trafficking of young girls, which were not discovered at the time of the wedding, they do believe that the relationship raises questions about his wisdom and vision.
The second source noted that "many in Clinton's entourage were introducing young men and girls to him," while stressing that he was not aware of Epstein's involvement in such practices. He described Epstein as "appearing to be a professional fraudster and con artist," arguing that Clinton and other people's attraction to him "was not a unique case."
The sources expressed surprise that this bizarre incident had been kept under wraps for so long, even though much information about Clinton's trips with Epstein was publicly available. The report did not specify the immediate reason why Epstein and Maxwell were invited to this important international event, but the sources ruled out that the goal was simply to get a free transatlantic flight.
The second source concluded by calling the situation "absolutely insane," stressing that "the story has become part of the oral tradition in Clinton's circle for a very long time."
Clinton's office previously announced the severance of ties with Epstein in 2005, three years before the millionaire was convicted of child sex crimes in Florida. Several other public figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Bill Gates, later downplayed their previous ties to Epstein.
When asked about the Moroccan wedding incident, Clinton spokeswoman Angel Aureña did not deny the incident, saying, "I don't know how many times we need to repeat that these flights were more than 20 years ago before the relationship was severed." Aureña had previously issued a statement after Epstein's arrest in 2019 asserting that "President Clinton knows nothing about the crimes for which Epstein was convicted," detailing that "Clinton only flew four times on Epstein's plane between 2002 and 2003, and met him once One in his office, he visited his apartment in New York once with his guards, he hadn't spoken to him in over a decade, he hadn't visited any of his private property."
Neither the Moroccan embassy in Washington nor Chelsea Clinton's office commented on requests for clarification. The first source revealed a "very ordinary" reason circulated by Clinton aides to explain the reason for the severance of the relationship with Epstein: that he "began to list a series of exaggerated allegations that upset Clinton, and the last straw was Epstein's claim that he invented the derivatives market." "Clinton is an expert in economics and finance... Hearing such false allegations infuriated him and made him question everything Epstein was saying."
Followers of the Epstein series of scandals confirm that the story is not over yet and that the series of new scandals will reveal that the immoral practices of the ruling elite in the United States of America, as if they are becoming normal, are practiced without fear of accountability, despising not only the laws but the nature of how the officials who claim to run the greatest empire in the modern era behave, and therefore they have not read the reasons for the collapse of previous empires, as the distance from morality was one of the reasons for these collapses.
