By Sarah Ferris, CNN

(CNN) — Embattled GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales announced on Monday that he would step down from Congress, just days before he faced the possibility of a high-stakes vote that could have made him the seventh-ever member to be expelled from the House.

The Texas Republican said he planned to “file my retirement from office” on Tuesday, which GOP leadership sources confirmed to CNN meant that he would resign. Gonzales had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for having a relationship with a former senior aide in his congressional office.

It was not immediately clear when the resignation would take effect. He — along with Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell — have both been under fierce pressure by their House colleagues to resign after allegations that they had sexual relationships with those who had worked for them. Swalwell announced his own resignation minutes before Gonzales.

Behind the scenes, a plan had emerged for a woman from each party, Democratic Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, to each draft an expulsion measure to force separate removal votes targeting the two members who had publicly faced allegations of wrongdoing. The GOP representative’s measure would target Swalwell, while the Democrat’s would target Gonzales.

Gonzales had already lost support from GOP leaders, though they, notably, did not call on him to resign from Congress immediately. Instead, they called for him to withdraw from his election, which he did.

“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. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas,” the congressman said in a statement posted to X.

Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a former staffer, a violation of House rules. The former staffer later died by suicide.

Then last week, the San Antonio Express-News published previously unreported texts that Gonzales allegedly sent the political director of his campaign in June 2020, during his first run for Congress. The texts, as published by the Express-News, included Gonzales asking that staffer “What kind of panties do you wear?,” repeatedly soliciting nude photos from her, and describing how he wanted to have sex with her. That alleged conduct was separate from the affair; the staffer who received the texts told the San Antonio Express-News the relationship never became physical.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post Embattled GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales announces he’s stepping down from Congress appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Mayor Randy Rowse announced Monday that he will not be seeking reelection and will finish the remainder of his current term as Mayor of Santa Barbara.

According to a statement shared with Your News Channel Monday, Mayor Rowse stated:

It has been a pleasure and a great honor to serve the people of Santa Barbara over a nearly 14 year career on Council. While I’m proud of much we have done and mindful of how much there is ahead, I have made the decision to finish my career at the end of this term. My reasons are strictly personal and are not related to any issue or individual, it’s just my time to move on. I will continue to focus on my office and now can do so without the distraction of running and maintaining a campaign simultaneously. I truly love this city and have enjoyed the opportunity afforded to me. I’m not going anywhere and plan to be engaged in city issues and events in the future.

With Mayor Rowse's departure, the race to be the next Mayor of Santa Barbara comes down Santa Barbara Unified School District Boardmember Wendy Sims-Moten and City Councilmembers Eric Friedman and Kristin Sneddon.

The post Mayor Randy Rowse drops out of upcoming mayoral election and will finish current term appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Mayor Randy Rowse announced Monday that he will not be seeking reelection and will finish the remainder of his current term as Mayor of Santa Barbara.

Rowse shared a statement with Your News Channel early Monday:

It has been a pleasure and a great honor to serve the people of Santa Barbara over a nearly 14 year career on Council. While I’m proud of much we have done and mindful of how much there is ahead, I have made the decision to finish my career at the end of this term. My reasons are strictly personal and are not related to any issue or individual, it's just my time to move on. I will continue to focus on my office and now can do so without the distraction of running and maintaining a campaign simultaneously. I truly love this city and have enjoyed the opportunity afforded to me. I’m not going anywhere and plan to be engaged in city issues and events in the future.

Rowse later took some questions outside of his city hall office.

He reiterated that he put a lot of thought into the decision to drop out of the race.

"I have been thinking about this for a long long time it is nothing to do with any subject, issue or personalities, it is a personal decision, I have some stuff in this stage of my life, I think it is time to move on and do something else," said Rowse.

He said his family would have supported him either way.

Rowse attended a library event on Monday with Congressman Salud Carbajal and said he will stay involved with the city he loves.

"I plan to stay engaged, I might be more effective on the outside than the inside and I really like the ability to help people from time to time but I really think I can do that on the outside as well," said Rowse.

He recalled being on the council for 9 years and then taking a break before running for Mayor of Santa Barbara.

Rowse said after some negative campaign adds he received more campaign contribution.

He ended up raising about $315,000 for a job that pays $75,000 a year.

The former owner of the Paradise Cafe had a business owner's perspective.

"Being in business doesn't confer genius on anybody, but it gives you perspective and when you've signed the front of paychecks and when you've had to have the pressure of making payroll, from time to time, it's a different, a different perspective, it's something that you can't get otherwise and so very few of us really get to have that perspective."

The city's 51st mayor wasn't always on the winning side of controversial votes including votes to keep a portion of State Street closed or plans to create Rent Stabilization ordinance, but he has high hopes for Santa Barbara.

Due to the city's move to even year elections his 5th year as mayor comes to a close in 2027.

Interested candidates have until this July to file the paperwork with the City Clerk's Office in order to make the ballot.

With Mayor Rowse's departure, the race to be the next Mayor of Santa Barbara currently comes down to City Councilmembers Eric Friedman (District 5) and Kristin Sneddon (District 4) who are the only two candidates to file campaign finance paperwork for the now-open race confirmed the Santa Barbara City Clerk's Office Monday.

The post Mayor Randy Ro

The post Orcutt Housing Project Hits Dead End on Road to Annexation appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

CNN

By Annie Grayer, Sarah Ferris, CNN

(CNN) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday he planned to resign from Congress following explosive allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

The announcement from the California Democrat comes as he faced a just-announced House ethics investigation and mounting pressure on both sides of the aisle to step down. Swalwell, who has denied the allegations, had already suspended his California gubernatorial bid – though that did not tamp down the calls that he leave his job. The congressman was also confronting the prospect of a vote on the House floor to expel him.

“Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” Swalwell said in a statement posted to X. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.” He did not indicate precisely when he would leave office. A special election to fill the congressman’s seat could take place this summer.

CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that a former staffer accused Swalwell sexual assault, describing a night of drinking that ended with him having sex with her when she could not consent. In addition to the allegation of sexual assault, three other women who spoke with CNN alleged other sexual misconduct, including that Swalwell sent unsolicited nude photos and graphic messages.

Swalwell has strongly and repeatedly denied allegations of sexual assault.

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

Swalwell’s planned resignation marks a remarkable and swift downfall for the California representative who at this time last week was vying to win his state’s June 2 primary in the governor’s race. At that time, the allegations largely existed in uncorroborated form on social media, and Swalwell had issued a pre-emptive rebuttal.

“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,” Swalwell campaign communications director Micah Beasley said in a statement at the time.

But then came CNN’s and the Chronicle’s reporting, which led to a raft of his supporters pulling their endorsements and urging him to drop out of the race. Some went even further, saying he should leave office. On Monday, not long before Swalwell announced he would do just that, Sen. Ruben Gallego, a longtime ally who chaired his 2020 presidential campaign, said in a statement it was time for the embattled California representative to go.

“I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. He should b