Gosar Introduces the SWALWELL Act to Drain the Swamp

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (AZ-09) released the following statement after introducing the "Stopping Wasteful Allowances for Lawmaker Wrongdoing and Ensuring Legal Liability Act," or the SWALWELL Act-a direct strike against Washington's culture of corruption, secrecy, and self-protection.

"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.

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. Lawmakers will have to certify under oath that they didn't use public money to cover their tracks.

This bill also rips the curtain back on decades of buried abuse. It creates a public, searchable database naming those who settled or were found liable, including how much they paid and why-while fully protecting victims. And it exposes every taxpayer-funded payout going back to 1995, finally revealing the true scale of this congressional slush fund.

Just as importantly, it ensures that potential crimes can't be swept under the rug. Any allegation of criminal conduct must be sent straight to the Department of Justice-no NDAs, no internal deals, no delays. Washington, D.C. doesn't get to police itself in secret anymore.

And for those who try to game the system, the penalties are severe-at least double damages and ethics investigations, enforced by the Attorney General.

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," stated Congressman Paul Gosar.

Click here to view a copy of SWALWELL Act.

Current cosponsors: Biggs (AZ), Boebert, Burchett, Carter (GA), Fine, Luna