U.S. Representative Paul Gosar announced on Apr. 15 the introduction of the “Stopping Wasteful Allowances for Lawmaker Wrongdoing and Ensuring Legal Liability Act,” also known as the SWALWELL Act, which aims to address how Congress handles allegations of misconduct among its members and staff.
The bill is intended to increase accountability and transparency in Washington, D.C., by preventing taxpayer money from being used to settle cases of wrongdoing by lawmakers or their professional staff. According to Gosar, “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. 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.”
Gosar said that under this legislation, federal funds would be prohibited from being used for any settlement related to congressional misconduct. He explained that lawmakers would have to certify under oath that no public money was used for such settlements: “The SWALWELL Act slams the door on taxpayer-funded hush money. It bans the use of federal dollars for misconduct settlements and forces Members and professional staff to pay every penny out of their own pockets—no bailouts, no pass throughs, no campaign fund loopholes, no excuses.” The act also proposes a public database listing those who settled or were found liable for wrongdoing along with payment details while protecting victims’ identities.
Additionally, all allegations involving potential criminal conduct must be referred directly to the Department of Justice without internal handling or non-disclosure agreements: “Any allegation of criminal conduct must be sent straight to the Department of Justice—no NDAs, no internal deals, no delays.” The proposed penalties include double damages and ethics investigations overseen by the Attorney General.
Gosar has served in Congress representing Arizona’s 9th district since 2011 after replacing Ann Kirkpatrick according to Ballotpedia. He won re-election in both 2022 and 2024 general elections according to Ballotpedia.
Gosar concluded his statement saying: “This is about ending the two-tiered system in Washington, D.C. where politicians play by their own rules. 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.”
