LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California woman, Lonna Drewes, has come forward stating that she was raped by former Congressman Eric Swalwell in 2018 and intends to report the incident to law enforcement.
During a press conference, Drewes detailed that the alleged assault occurred at a hotel in Southern California after she met Swalwell at a restaurant opening. She described feeling heavy-limbed and believes she was drugged. She made it clear, I did not consent to any sexual activity. Following the assault, Drewes stated that Swalwell choked her, causing her to lose consciousness.
Swalwell recently withdrew from the race for California's governor and announced his resignation from Congress amid other allegations of sexual misconduct. According to Drewes, she previously spoke about the alleged rape in therapy sessions and has documented the incident through journal entries and discussions with individuals close to her.
Attorney Lisa Bloom, representing Drewes, asserted that these journal entries, along with text messages and photographs, will be presented in the forthcoming report to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Drewes, who was working as a model and owned a fashion software company in Beverly Hills when she met Swalwell, had met him on two prior occasions before the alleged rape. Following the incident, Swalwell faced additional allegations from other women, including non-consensual sexual encounters and the sending of inappropriate messages.
“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,” Swalwell stated, maintaining his innocence.
For support regarding sexual assault, individuals are encouraged to contact the national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
