Updates on Latest Claims of Sexual Misconduct Against Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell

(SeaPRwire) –   While Eric Swalwell has stepped down from Congress, the scandal that forced him to give up his House seat and abandon his California gubernatorial bid continues to escalate.

This Tuesday, Lonna Drewes— a former model and owner of a fashion software company— told reporters at a press conference that Swalwell raped her in a hotel in 2018, adding to earlier allegations of sexual misconduct against the Democratic lawmaker.

“He raped me and he choked me,” Drewes stated. She added that she stands with the other women who have come forward and intends to report the incident to law enforcement.

Following Drewes’ public claims, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement to the media saying its Special Victims Bureau had opened an investigation into a woman’s allegation of being sexually assaulted by Swalwell in West Hollywood in July 2018.

“Once the investigation is completed, investigators will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration,” the department’s statement read.

Drewes’ accusations against Swalwell mirror those from multiple women, including an unnamed former staffer who alleged sexual assault— a case first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. CNN also covered that case, as well as three other women who described separate instances of Swalwell’s alleged misconduct. TIME has not independently verified these claims.

Amid the controversy, Swalwell has admitted to some past “mistakes in judgment” but denied the misconduct allegations. His team vowed to legally challenge the accusations and has sent cease-and-desist letters to several of his accusers.

Sara Azari, Swalwell’s legal representative, said in a Tuesday statement that the “deeply offensive” claims are a “calculated and transparent political hit job designed to destroy the reputation” of the Democratic politician, and she questioned the allegations’ timing, nature, and what she called a “coordinated rollout.”

Swalwell’s resignation from the House marks a shocking and rapid fall from his status just a week ago, when he was among the top contenders to succeed California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state’s primaries are set for June, but the allegations have eroded fellow Democrats’ support for his campaign.

Newsom announced a special election on Tuesday to fill Swalwell’s vacated seat in California’s 14th congressional district on Aug. 18.

‘I thought I died’

During the press briefing, Drewes said she had three interactions with Swalwell. She noted he offered Silicon Valley connections for her firm and invited her to two public events. She added that at the time, they discussed politics as she was considering running for the Beverly Hills City Council.

In their third encounter, Drewes alleged Swalwell spiked her glass of wine. Before a political event, Swalwell had invited her to his hotel room to retrieve documents, but the drink left her “incapacitated.”

“I couldn’t move my arms or my body,” Drewes said. While Swalwell allegedly choked her, she claimed she lost consciousness. “I thought I died.”

Drewes asserted that she did not consent and would not have consented to sexual activity with Swalwell, and that the incident had severely impacted her mental health. She explained the delay in taking action was driven by “fear of his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties.”

How Swalwell’s resignation ‘vindicated’ victims

After Swalwell’s resignation, Ally Sammarco— one of the accusers CNN spoke to for its report— told CBS News she feels “vindicated” by the development. “He was pushed into a corner, essentially, because they were planning to expel him,” Sammarco said of his resignation, “so I think he did that to save face a little.”

CNN and CBS News have also spoken to another accuser, Annika Albrecht, who said she met Swalwell in Washington D.C. while in college. Albrecht told CBS News that Swalwell offered to mentor her. She said Swalwell asked the students to create a group chat and soon added her on Snapchat.

Albrecht’s initial exchanges with Swalwell were about politics, but they turned flirtatious. At one point, Swalwell “invited” her to a hotel to meet, after which she stopped responding to him on Snapchat.

“It was very clear what the connotation was,” she told CBS News. “What I keep thinking back to is how lucky I am that I didn’t go to that hotel.”

Regarding Swalwell’s resignation, Albrecht said: “For me, justice won’t be until he can’t ever harm a woman ever again, and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed.”

Swalwell resigned amid threats of expulsion against him and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R, Texas), who was dogged by a separate controversy— an affair with his former staffer who later died by suicide. Gonzales also resigned Tuesday.

Many of Swalwell’s political peers have since distanced themselves. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D, Ariz.), who chaired Swalwell’s brief 2020 presidential campaign, acknowledged to reporters Tuesday his friendship with the California politician but said he “lied to all of us.” Gallego also denied having any knowledge of Swalwell’s predatory behavior, sexual assault, or harassment, though he noted he had asked Swalwell about related rumors.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.), one of the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders, called Swalwell’s resignation a “smart decision” and asserted she knew nothing of the accusations before the reports came out. When Pelosi was Speaker, she had elevated Swalwell to coveted House positions and defended him in a previous, unrelated issue.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, N.Y.) told reporters that Congress is at a “resetting point” after Swalwell’s and Gonzales’ resignations, and that the incident has shown the U.S. has become “acclimated” to similar cases of sexual abuse and harassment from people in power.

“I don’t think our work is done,” she said. “I think that a lot of the underlying structures that silence victims of sexual harassment and abuse still exist.”