Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has introduced legislation banning the use of federal funds for congressional misconduct settlements in the wake of numerous scandals.
Rep. Gosar's Stopping Wasteful Allowances for Lawmaker Wrongdoing and Ensuring Legal Liability (SWALWELL) Act is named after former Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA), whose recent accusations of sexual assault forced him to resign from Congress.
The SWALWELL Act not only prevents members of Congress from using federal dollars to pay settlements for their behavior, but it also ensures they cannot use any other source of funding, such as campaign dollars, other than their own personal sources.
"For decades, the swamp in Washington, D.C. has protected its own—letting corrupt politicians bury misconduct behind closed doors while sticking taxpayers with the bill," Rep. Gosar said in a statement. "That ends now. If a Member of Congress or professional staff breaks the law or abuses their position, they should pay the price themselves—not the American people, and not in secret."
Additionally, the Arizona congressman's bill creates a public, searchable database that names everyone who settled or was found liable, including how much they paid and why, going all the way back to 1995.
On top of that, any allegation of criminal conduct must be sent immediately to the Department of Justice (DOJ), with no exceptions for non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or other backroom deals.
"This is about ending the two-tiered system in Washington, D.C., where politicians play by their own rules," Gosar concluded. "The SWALWELL Act restores accountability, enforces transparency, and makes it clear: if you betray the public trust, you will be exposed, and you will pay for it."
At the end of February, Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who is cosponsoring Gosar's bill, called for an investigation into the alleged use of federal funds by members of Congress to pay off people accusing them of sexual misconduct.
