A fifth woman has come forward to accuse former US Representative Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct, alleging the Democratic lawmaker drugged and raped her during an encounter in 2018, according to Al Jazeera.
Lonna Drewes held a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday to detail her claims. She stated that her delay in coming forward was due to the political influence of the former congressman.
“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by and fear, not doubt – fear of his political power,” Drewes said.
Drewes’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, announced that her firm intends to file a formal police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office.
Investigation and resignation
Swalwell has denied the allegations of wrongdoing. However, the former lawmaker announced his resignation from Congress on Monday, one day after he suspended his campaign for governor of California.
Recent reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed several allegations against the 45-year-old. One former staffer told CNN that Swalwell raped her in a New York City hotel in 2024, an incident she said left her bruised and bleeding.
Three other women reported receiving inappropriate messages from Swalwell via the Snapchat app, according to the Al Jazeera report.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed on Saturday that it is investigating the sexual assault allegations.
In a statement released Monday, Swalwell apologized to his family, staff, and constituents for what he described as “mistakes in judgment.”
Despite his resignation, Swalwell criticized colleagues who sought his expulsion from Congress. He wrote, “I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me.”
He also addressed the push for an immediate expulsion vote, stating, “Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong.”
Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna said she would withdraw her motion to expel Swalwell following his resignation. She confirmed on Tuesday that his resignation letter was effective immediately.
In a separate development, Republican Representative Tony Gonzales also announced his retirement from Congress following calls for expulsion over sexual misconduct allegations, Al Jazeera reported.
