New Accusation Against Eric Swalwell
Another woman has come forward accusing Eric Swalwell of drugging and raping her in a hotel room in 2018, adding to a series of allegations against the congressman by multiple women, including a former staff member.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Lonna Drewes expressed her initial hesitation to report the incident, citing Swalwell's "political power" as a deterrent.
Swalwell has announced his resignation from Congress and withdrawn from the California governor's race. He has denied the sexual abuse allegation made by his former staff member.
"I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me," Swalwell stated. "However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make."
In a formal statement, the Democratic lawmaker expressed remorse for past errors, saying he was "deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgement I've made in my past."
The BBC has reached out to Swalwell for comment regarding the new allegations.
Details of Lonna Drewes' Allegation
At the Tuesday news conference, Drewes' attorney, Lisa Bloom, criticized Swalwell's apology to his wife while denying the sexual assault claim as "blather and spin."
Drewes recounted meeting Swalwell in 2018 while working as a model in Beverly Hills, California. At that time, Swalwell's wife was pregnant, and Drewes considered the congressman a friend.
She described the third encounter with Swalwell, during which she believes he drugged her drink despite only consuming one glass of wine, resulting in her inability to move.
Drewes alleged that Swalwell told her he needed to retrieve something from his hotel room, where she claims he raped and choked her.
"While he was choking me I lost consciousness and I thought I died," she said. "I did not consent to any sexual activity."
Drewes did not undergo a sexual assault examination at the time but confided in close friends about the incident.
Attorney Lisa Bloom indicated plans to file a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department concerning the alleged assault.
Bloom also revealed that three other women have contacted her with allegations against Swalwell.
Previous Accusations and Congressional Response
Last week, four women accused Swalwell of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
Consequently, Congress has initiated an ethics inquiry, and lawmakers have considered expelling Swalwell, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2012.
Accusers Speak Out
Two women who accused Swalwell of sending unsolicited explicit photos spoke to CBS News, expressing relief that he is facing consequences and leaving Congress after years of alleged impunity.
Annika Albrecht and Ally Sammarco, the accusers, said they felt vindicated but emphasized that more action is necessary.
"For me, justice won't be until he can't ever harm a woman ever again, and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed," Albrecht said.
Sammarco told CNN last week that Swalwell sent her unsolicited nude messages via Snapchat, an app that deletes messages after sending. The two met after she contacted him on Twitter at age 24 to discuss political careers.
"He was pushed into a corner, essentially, because they were planning to expel him hellip; so I think he [resigned] to save face a little," Sammarco told CBS News. "But I also felt very vindicated that he realized it was over for him."
Albrecht shared with CBS that she met Swalwell during a college class trip and that he initially approached her under the pretense of professional mentorship.
She added that he later sent "sexually inappropriate" messages on Snapchat and invited her to a hotel room.
Sammarco accused Swalwell of acting with "total impunity," saying,
"He never thought that the consequences of his actions would follow him."
The two accusers appeared alongside Cheyenne Hunt, a Democratic influencer who posted a video highlighting multiple women's accusations against Swalwell, bringing the issue to public attention.
Hunt told CBS that more than 30 women had contacted her alleging various forms of misconduct by Swalwell since her initial video.
Ongoing Investigations
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is investigating Swalwell following allegations from an unnamed former staff member detailed in a San Francisco Chronicle article. The report included accusations of sexual assault against Swalwell in California and New York.
The woman described waking up naked in Swalwell's hotel bed in 2019 with fuzzy memories of the previous night after going out for drinks with him.
Swalwell has denied these allegations.
Congressional Developments
Congress returned from recess on Tuesday, with the ethics committee preparing to review inquiries into both Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales, who recently ended his re-election campaign after admitting to an affair with an aide.
