Fifth woman accuses former US lawmaker Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct
TL;DR
Eric Swalwell has resigned from Congress following allegations of sexual misconduct from five women, including claims of drugging and rape. The latest accuser, Lonna Drewes, stated her fear of Swalwell's political power delayed her decision to come forward.
Key points
- Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress.
- Five women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct.
- Lonna Drewes claims Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018.
- Drewes cited fear of Swalwell's political power as a reason for her delayed action.
- Swalwell has denied the allegations.
Mentioned in this story
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell has resigned from the United States Congress, amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.
On Tuesday, a fifth woman came forward to accuse Swalwell of unwanted sexual contact, saying the Democratic lawmaker drugged and raped her during an encounter in 2018.
“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt – fear of his political power,” Lonna Drewes said during a news conference in Los Angeles.
Drewes’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said her firm would be filing a police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office.
Swalwell has denied allegations of wrongdoing. But on Monday, he announced he would resign from Congress, one day after suspending his gubernatorial campaign.
Polls had shown the 45-year-old leading the race to replace Gavin Newsom as governor of California.
But his campaign imploded last week after reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed allegations of sexual misconduct from several women.
One woman, identified as a former staffer, told CNN that Swalwell raped her in a New York City hotel in 2024, an encounter that left her bleeding and bruised.
Three other women told US news outlets that they had received inappropriate messages from Swalwell on the app Snapchat, which automatically deletes interactions.
Lonna Drewes, followed by her lawyer Lisa Bloom, arrives at a news conference in Beverly Hills, California, on April 14 [Patrick T Fallon/AFP]
The accusations quickly prompted backlash to Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign. Supporters withdrew their endorsements, and a handful of bipartisan lawmakers said they would push for a vote to expel Swalwell from Congress.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office also announced on Saturday that it is investigating the sexual assault allegations.
In a statement on Monday, Swalwell apologised to his family, staff and constituents for what he called “mistakes in judgment”.
Although he confirmed he would resign his seat in Congress, he nevertheless criticised his colleagues for seeking his expulsion.
“I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” Swalwell wrote.
“I am aware of the 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.”
Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna had said she would withdraw her motion to expel Swalwell once he stepped down, and she confirmed on Tuesday that he had submitted a resignation letter, “effective immediately”.
Republican Representative Tony Gonzales also announced on Monday that he would retire from Congress amid calls for his expulsion over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Q&A
What are the allegations against Eric Swalwell?
Eric Swalwell faces allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims of unwanted sexual contact, drugging, and rape from five women.
Why did Eric Swalwell resign from Congress?
Swalwell resigned amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, which included a fifth woman coming forward with serious accusations.
Who is Lonna Drewes and what did she accuse Swalwell of?
Lonna Drewes is the fifth woman to accuse Swalwell, claiming he drugged and raped her during an encounter in 2018.
