Another woman has alleged that Eric Swalwell raped her, adding to a growing list of misconduct allegations against the former Democratic lawmaker. Speaking on Tuesday, Lonna Drewes said she had been reluctant to come forward with her allegations that Swalwell drugged and raped her in a hotel room in 2018 because of his political power. Swalwell has resigned from Congress and withdrawn from California governor's race since accusations against him were reported on Friday. He denies each and every sexual misconduct allegation against him, stating, These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive - a calculated and transparent political hit job, according to his attorney, Sara Azari.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Drewes' attorney, Lisa Bloom, dismissed Swalwell's previous public responses to the allegations as blather and spin. Drewes claims they met in 2018 while she was working as a model and that during their third meeting, Swalwell allegedly assaulted her. She said that after consuming one glass of wine, she felt unable to move upon arriving at the room and suspected she had been drugged, stating, While he was choking me I lost consciousness and I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity. Although she did not undergo a sexual assault exam at that time, she communicated the incident to close friends and is now working with her attorney to file a police report with the LAPD.

This accusation follows claims from four other women last week, who accused Swalwell of misconduct, leading to a congressional ethics inquiry. Two of these women reported receiving unsolicited explicit photos from him. The growing number of allegations has prompted a MeToo moment of sorts on Capitol Hill, with discussions surrounding accountability for misconduct among lawmakers.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is also investigating Swalwell over allegations from an unnamed former staff member. Swalwell continues to deny all allegations as he faces increasing scrutiny and calls for accountability.