Lonna Drewes Accuses Eric Swalwell of Rape Amid His Resignation From Congress

14 Apr 2026, 23:24 · The Fresno Bee

Lonna Drewes has come forward with new allegations against former California congressman Eric Swalwell amid his ongoing sexual misconduct scandal.

"He invited me to two public events. I knew he was married at the time and that his wife was pregnant," Drewes told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday, April 14, per multiple outlets. "He was my friend. On the third occasion, I believe he drugged my drink. I only had one glass of wine."

Drewes claimed that she and Swalwell "were supposed to go to a political event" the politician allegedly needed to "get paperwork from his hotel room" first.

"When I arrived at his hotel room, I was already incapacitated and I couldn't move my arms or my body," she claimed. "He raped me and he choked me and while he was choking me, I lost consciousness and I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity."

Drewes added that she did not "undergo a rape kit" but disclosed the alleged assault to people who were close to her. She also claimed that she had "therapy sessions at a sexual assault center in Connecticut."

"I did not want to live any more," she said of the toll the alleged incident took on her mental health. "It was a politically unusual, intense time in Beverly Hills, and I was considering a run for city council, which placed me in proximity to political figures and events and added to the pressure to remain composed and silent."

Drewes shared that she did not come forward against Swalwell earlier due to her fears of "his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties".

Swalwell, who formally resigned from Congress on Tuesday, addressed the latest claims levied against him via his attorney.

"Swalwell categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him," Sara Azari, Swalwel''s lawyer, said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.

Us Weekly has reached out to Swalwell's spokesperson for comment.

Drewes is the latest woman to accuse Swalwell of sexual misconduct. Allegations against the congressman came to light earlier this month, when an anonymous woman and former staffer claimed that she was raped and harrased by Swalwell.

Swalwell vehemently denied the allegations at the time in a statement, "These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor. For nearly 20 years, I have served the public - as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women."

After news broke of the first woman's accusations, three additional women came forward with claims of harassment and unwanted touching. Ally Sammarco, the first woman to publicly accuse Swalwell of misconduct, claimed that Swalwell offered to "share her resume" with other congressional offices before sending her "very inappropriate" messages via Snapchat.

Swalwell later suspended his campaign for governor of California. He was also facing expulsion from congress but ultimately resigned, which took effect on Tuesday.

"I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgement I've made in my past," the politician wrote in a statement shared via X on Monday, April 13. "I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make."

Swalwell continued, "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 that they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district."

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 4:24 PM.