Swalwell resigns amid rape claim

The downfall of the prominent California Democrat began after a former staffer filed a formal report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators are now examining campaign financial records that show Swalwell used donor funds to pay for hotel rooms during the timeframe of the alleged assault.

While Swalwell's legal team has dismissed the claims as a 'political hit job,' top Democrats have begun scrubbing his name from party committees and PACs.

The scandal has left a power vacuum in California politics, with several candidates now scrambling to capture his former supporters.