A California woman came forward Tuesday with harrowing claims that Representative Eric Swalwell drugged and raped her in a hotel room in 2018, adding a new layer of legal jeopardy for the congressman just one day after he announced his resignation.
Lonna Drewes, appearing at a press conference alongside her legal team, alleged that what began as a professional networking opportunity turned into a violent assault.
Drewes stated she had met with the Democratic congressman on a few occasions and believed he was going to help her software company. During their third meeting, however, she alleged that Swalwell “drugged my drink” and lured her to his hotel room under the guise of retrieving paperwork for a political event.
“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” Drewes said during the conference. “I thought I died.”
While an attorney for Swalwell did not provide an immediate response to the new claims, the congressman has previously addressed the growing wave of misconduct allegations against him. While he has admitted to making unspecified “mistakes” in the past, he has characterized the specific accusations of sexual assault as “flat false.”
RELATED: House Ethics Launches Sexual Misconduct Probe Into California Rep. Eric Swalwell
Drewes told reporters that she never would have entered into a consensual encounter with Swalwell. She explained that the trauma of the alleged event severely damaged her mental health, stating, “I did not want to live anymore.”
When asked why she did not go to the authorities in 2018, Drewes cited “fear of his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties.” Though no police report was filed at the time, Drewes said she told those close to her about the incident, recorded it in a handwritten calendar, and discussed it during therapy sessions at a sexual assault center in Connecticut.
Her attorney, Lisa Bloom, stated that a formal report would be filed “immediately” in Los Angeles. “Lonna is committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement,” Bloom said.
The timing of the press conference follows a turbulent week for the California representative. On Monday, Swalwell announced he would step down from his seat following bipartisan pressure regarding prior misconduct claims.
Additionally, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed Saturday that it has opened a criminal investigation into a separate sexual assault allegation involving Swalwell that reportedly took place in New York. RELATED: Swalwell Camp Spirals In California As Allegations Trigger Manhattan DA Probe
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