In a twist that blends campaign drama with Capitol gossip, Los Angeles Congressman Jimmy Gomez is pushing back after a New York Post cover story claimed he was caught making out with a much younger congressional aide outside a private Washington gathering in the summer of 2023. The allegation lands just as Gomez, a prominent Democrat in both California and Washington, has already stepped away from Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign and found himself pulled into the broader scrutiny around that political circle.
What the Post Reported
According to the New York Post, witnesses told the paper that Gomez and a young aide were seen "making out" behind parked cars as guests filtered out of a private backyard party hosted by then Congressman Eric Swalwell in August 2023. The Post reported that the woman worked for a different House Democrat and is more than two decades younger than Gomez. She declined to comment for the story, and a Gomez spokesperson told the outlet the alleged encounter "did not happen" and called the accounts "not true."
Gomez's Response And Political Fallout
Before the Post story surfaced, Gomez had already resigned as a co chair of Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign and publicly called on him to drop out after the Chronicle and other outlets published allegations against the candidate. That move put Gomez squarely in the middle of the unfolding scandal. The Guardian reports that Gomez said he had "learned shocking information" about Swalwell and that he could not stay on the campaign in good conscience. Gomez’s office did not immediately offer further comment to other outlets beyond the denial given to the Post.
Context And What Rules Apply
The House Code of Official Conduct bars sexual relationships with staffers who are under a member’s supervision and authorizes the House Committee on Ethics to investigate alleged violations, according to the committee’s own manual. The wider controversy surrounding Swalwell, who suspended his campaign and resigned his House seat after multiple allegations, has already rattled Washington and California politics. That backdrop helps explain why any new claims tied to the same social and political circle are drawing fast attention in both the capital and Los Angeles, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
What To Watch
At this point, Gomez’s office is firmly denying the Post’s account and the alleged aide has remained silent publicly, which means the immediate fallout is more likely to play out in the political and reputational arena unless someone files a formal complaint. Axios has detailed how quickly allies distanced themselves and how some lawmakers considered expulsion efforts in the wake of the Swalwell revelations, underscoring how fast accusations in this environment can scramble alliances in Congress and among California Democrats.
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