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Woman claims Swalwell drugged and assaulted her in hotel room

Sarah Mitchell 0 comments 5 min read
Woman claims Swalwell drugged and assaulted her in hotel room

Rep. Eric Swalwell faces a new sexual assault allegation after a woman publicly described an alleged 2018 encounter in a California hotel room in which she says he drugged, raped and choked her until she lost consciousness.

Lonna Drewes made the accusation at a press conference Tuesday alongside her attorneys. "He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness," she said. "I thought I died."

Drewes said she had multiple contacts with the California Democrat. The first two interactions were professional, she explained, with Swalwell offering to help advance her software company. On the third occasion, she alleged he lured her to his hotel room under false pretenses, telling her he needed to retrieve paperwork before attending a political event.

"I believe he drugged my drink," Drewes said. She described being unable to move by the time they reached the room, and said the assault followed.

"I would never have engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with Eric Swalwell," she stated.

Drewes did not file a police report at the time but said she disclosed the incident to close contacts, recorded details in her handwritten calendar, and later documented her experience during therapy sessions at a sexual assault center in Connecticut. She attributed her delay in coming forward to fear of Swalwell's political position, legal background, and family ties to law enforcement.

The alleged assault, she said, caused significant emotional damage. "The assault and its impact had a profound impact on my mental health. I did not want to live anymore."

Lisa Bloom, one of Drewes' attorneys, announced plans to file a report with Los Angeles authorities immediately. "Lonna is committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement," Bloom said.

Swalwell's office did not respond to requests for comment. The congressman has previously acknowledged making "mistakes" while denying accusations of sexual assault as "flat false."

The allegation emerges as Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress following bipartisan pressure over sexual assault and misconduct allegations. The Manhattan district attorney's office opened an investigation into one assault allegation against him last week involving an alleged incident in New York.

Author Sarah Mitchell: "The timing and pattern of these allegations, combined with Swalwell's sudden resignation announcement, suggest the political ground has shifted beneath him in ways that may finally be forcing accountability."

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