Scandal enveloped Capitol Hill as Reps.Eric Swalwell, D-California, andTony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned their seats in Congress − Swalwell aftermultiple accusations of sexual assaultand misconduct and Gonzales after acknowledging an extramarital affair with a staffer who later killed herself. (Swalwell, who has called the accusations “absolutely false,” alsobowed out of the California governor’s race.) Theback-to-back exitswithin hours of each other came just seven months before high-stakes midterm elections that will decide who runs Washington. Swalwell’s downfall was particularly swift; his 16-year political career imploded over a single weekend.
Sex scandals rock Congress
Scandal on Capitol Hill:USA TODAY congressional reporter Zachary Schermele weighs in
Trump’s wish: No More Powell
PresidentDonald Trumpstill wants a new Federal Reserve chair, and it sounds as if he’s getting a little antsy. Jerome Powell, whom Trump has long labeled“Too Late Powell”because the president insists he has been too slow to lower interest rates and juice the economy, has suggested he’ll stay on at the Fed past May 15, when his term ends, if Trump’s nominee to replace him hasn’t been confirmed by then. If Powell did stay, “thenI’ll have to fire him,” Trump told Fox Business. “I’ve held back on firing him. I’ve wanted to fire him. But I hate to be controversial. I want to be uncontroversial.”
Americans ‘celebrate’ Tax Day
Tax Day came and went as millions of Americans scrambled to file by midnight April 15,requested extensionsor waited on (or already collected) their refunds, while restaurant chains such as Krispy Kreme, Subway, Wendy’s, Potbelly and Popeyes got in on the hoopla by offering Tax Day freebies and discounts. Many Americans found they had more cash to spend on those treats; taxpayers were seeing refunds of $3,800 on average, the IRS said,up more than 11% from a year ago. The fattest refunds were in Florida, at $4,433 on average, a study by the travel perks research company Upgraded Points found; the lightest checks, an average of $3,057, were in Maine.
Advertisement
Happy Tax Day, America:But you’re still being robbed | Opinion
Eight acts achieve rock ’n’ roll royalty
Eight new inductees will now live foreverin the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland: Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.Hoping for better luck next timewere nominees The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Pink, Shakira and New Edition − a disappointment to the more than 1 million people who put the iconic R&B group at the top of the fan vote.The ceremony is set for Nov. 14at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will air on ABC and Disney+ in December.
Rory McIlroy closed out the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National with a final‑round performance that secured victory on Sunday.These images tracked McIlroy through the final round as he finished on top of the leaderboard at the Masters.
Above, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland played his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026, in Augusta, Georgia.
" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Rory McIlroy earns a second green jacket at the 2026 Masters
Rory McIlroy closed out the2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta Nationalwith a final‑round performance that secured victory on Sunday.
These images tracked McIlroy through the final round as he finished on top of the leaderboard at the Masters.
Above, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland played his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026, in Augusta, Georgia.
Rory McIlroy is head of the Masters class
That green jacket “still fits,” Rory McIlroy said − andit’s a good thing, because he had just slipped it on for a second straight year after making history withback-to-back Masters tournament titles, only the fourth golfer ever to do so. McIlroy finished 12 under par on April 12 at Augusta National, holding off Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose, who had held the lead halfway through the final round. It was the sixth major for McIlroy,still in his prime at 36. “I don’t want to put a number on it,” he said. “But I certainly don’t want to stop here.”− Compiled and written by Robert Abitbol
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Sex scandals rock Congress, Tax Day is here and gone: Week in review
