Representative David Schweikert (R-AZ) discussed the ongoing scandal surrounding former Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) in a recent appearance on NewsMax, noting that Democrats "do a much better job protecting their own."
Rep. Schweikert shared an excerpt from his interview on social media, writing, "If it's your money, why don't you deserve to know? Too often in Washington, insiders protect their own. I want everyone held to the same standard. The public deserves to know what everyone is doing."
During the interview, Rep. Schweikert targeted Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a longtime friend of Swalwell, by saying, "I am from Arizona. I love my state. I have trouble sometimes believing [Sen. Gallego] is my U.S. Senator," citing that Sen. Gallego implied that he knew about Swalwell's impropriety.
"Do you know how many rumors over the years we have heard about Ruben?" the Arizona congressman questioned. "And here becomes the battle we often have is when you see smoke, is there fire? Is there research?"
Schweikert further noted that in the case of Swalwell, "it was not until a Democrat functionally found a way to get this information out that it came crashing down." "It sort of shows you that the Democrats do a much better job protecting their own and attacking us [Republicans]," Schweikert concluded. "I want a system where everyone is held to the same standard and the public gets to know what everyone is doing."
At the beginning of March, Schweikert voted in favor of Representative Nancy Mace's (R-SC) resolution demanding that the House Ethics Committee release any and all reports of sexual misconduct or relationships with staff.
The resolution ultimately failed, and Schweikert expressed his disappointment on social media, writing, "The House had a chance to shine a light on years of secret harassment cases. Instead a large bipartisan majority chose secrecy and buried it in committee so that the public won't see what their tax dollars paid to cover up. I voted to release the records."
