Another woman accuses Eric Swalwell of rape

LOS ANGELES (CN) — A fifth woman has come forward to accuse U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct.

Lonna Drewes told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018. At the time, Drewes said she was working as a model in Beverly Hills and also owned a software company.

“He offered me connections to further my software company,” Drewes said at her attorneys’ office. “I knew he was married at the time and that his wife was pregnant. He was my friend.”

Drewes recalled Swalwell inviting her to a few public events. “On the third occasion,” she said, “I believe he drugged my drink.” He told her he needed to go back to his hotel room to pick up some paperwork. She said she went with him, but by the time she got there, she was “already incapacitated.”

“He raped me,” she said. “And he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity.”

She claims she did not report the assault to police at the time out of fear. But she and her attorney, Lisa Bloom, said they would be reporting the incident to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department later Tuesday.

“Lonna is committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement,” Bloom told reporters. “We’ll be providing all of her evidence there, including text messages, journal entries, photographs and witness information.”

At least four other women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including a former staff member who claims that the Northern California congressman sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions, including some when she was intoxicated.

Swalwell, who represents parts of the Bay Area east of San Francisco, has denied many of the accusations leveled against him, but he announced Monday that he would resign from Congress.

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in the past,” Swalwell said in a written statement posted on social media, prior to Drewes coming forward. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”

On Tuesday, Bloom called Swalwell’s statement “blather and spin,” and “a slap in the face to the victims.” Bloom said that three other women had contacted her about Swalwell’s behavior, but declined to provide further details.

Swalwell also ended his California gubernatorial campaign, where he was a top contender to succeed two-term Governor Gavin Newsom. His exit threw an already chaotic race further into disarray, leaving Democrats Katie Porter and Tom Steyer to battle with Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton — President Donald Trump’s pick — for the top two spots in the June 2 primary.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced over the weekend that it is investigating Swalwell over accusations that he sexually assaulted a former congressional staffer in a New York City hotel room in 2024. Bloom said Drewes would be cooperating with Manhattan’s investigation.

“Justice now is the criminal investigations,” Bloom said. “Losing one’s job is not a sufficient consequence.”

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