A woman who said she was working as a model in Beverly Hills in 2018 became the latest person to accuse Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, of sexual assault Tuesday, contending the disgraced congressman drugged and raped her at a West Hollywood hotel.
Swalwell on Tuesday officially resigned from Congress, two days after he suspended his campaign for California governor. The move followed a wave of allegations that emerged in recent days of sexual misconduct and assault — allegations Swalwell has denied and vowed to fight.
Speaking at a Beverly Hills news conference with attorney Lisa Bloom, Lonna Drewes said Tuesday she planned to file a report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department about her sex assault allegations.
Drewes told reporters she was at an event in 2018 with the married Swalwell — whose wife was pregnant at the time — and she believes he drugged her. She said she had consumed only one glass of wine, but became incapacitated and wound up in Swalwell’s hotel room.
“We were supposed to go to a political event, and he said he needed to get paperwork from his hotel room,” she said. “When I arrived at his hotel room, I was already incapacitated, and I couldn’t move my arms or my body. He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness, and I thought I died.”
She insisted that she did not consent to any sexual activity with Swalwell.
Drewes said she did not immediately report the assault out of fear — “fear of his political power, his background as an attorney and his family law enforcement ties.”
“I have never doubted what happened,” she said. “I stand with the other women who have come forward.”
Drewes said she has various evidentiary items backing her claims, such as text messages and journal entries.
The firestorm over the sexual misconduct allegations erupted Friday when the San Francisco Chronicle published a story alleging that a female employee had a consensual relationship with the married congressman, including sexual encounters with Swalwell while working for him. She further claimed he sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was drunk and unable to give her consent, according to the Chronicle.
Later in the day, CNN reported three more women had accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited nude photos.
On Sunday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it was investigating Swalwell for possibly hiring a domestic worker in the country illegally — the latest blow for the embattled candidate who was already facing sexual misconduct allegations.
“USCIS has been collecting information on the allegations involving Congressman Eric Swalwell hiring of a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X. “@USCIS has referred this matter to DHS law enforcement for investigation. No one is above the law, including a member of Congress.”
The allegations led to immediate calls for him to back out of the California gubernatorial campaign, which Swalwell did on Sunday. But the pressure continued to mount for him to surrender his seat in Congress.
On Monday, the House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into his alleged actions. The committee issued a statement saying it would probe allegations that Swalwell “may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards and employee working under his supervision.”
On Saturday, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, said she planned to file a motion to expel Swalwell from office, which would require a two-thirds vote from the House of Representatives.
On Monday, Swalwell relented and announced his resignation from Congress.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.
“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.
“I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district.”
In New York on Saturday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced plans to investigate the allegation from the former staffer who accused Swalwell of having sex with her when she was heavily intoxicated after a night of drinking with him in New York City in April 2024 and unable to consent.
Swalwell, 45, disputed the allegations in a social media video posted on Friday.
“A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations,” Swalwell said. ” … These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen; they have never happened, and I will fight them with everything I have.
“They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the front-runner candidate for governor in California. I do not suggest to you in any way that I’m perfect or that I’m a saint. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past. But those mistakes are between me and my wife, and to her I apologize deeply for putting her in this position. I also apologize to you if in any way you have doubted your support for me, but I think you know who I am. For over 20 years, I have served the public as a city councilman, as a member of Congress, and as a prosecutor who went to court on behalf of victims, particularly on behalf of sexual assault victims.”
Bloom, Drewes’ attorney, blasted Swalwell’s characterization of his actions as “mistakes.”
“Your statement yesterday that you just made, quote, mistakes in judgment, is defensive and minimizing. Stop it,” Bloom said. “Own your behavior.”
Swalwell and his wife, Brittany Watts, have three children.