The sexual assault allegations against U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Castro Valley, continued to mount Tuesday with a model speaking out and accusing him of drugging and raping her.
“I believe he drugged my drink, I only had one glass of wine,” Lonna Drewes said during a news briefing with her lawyers. “He raped me and he choked me, and while he was choking me, I lost consciousness, and I thought I died.”
Drewes said the alleged assault happened in 2018 in the Los Angeles area when she was working as a model in Beverly Hills. She also owned a fashion software company and had political aspirations, which she said Swalwell could help her with through his connections.
“He spoke repeatedly about his ability to make introductions in Silicon Valley, referencing his political representation and influence there,” she said. “I was not interested in him romantically, but I was interested in the business relationship and professional connections he offered.”
The alleged assault was the third time Drewes had met Swalwell. She said she did not consent to any sexual activity with him.
“We were supposed to go to a political event, and he said he needed to get paperwork from his hotel room,” Drewes said. “When I arrived at his hotel room, I was already incapacitated, and I couldn’t move my arms from my body.”
At the briefing, a large photograph was shown with the two posing for a photo together at a restaurant opening in the Los Angeles area.
‘This is about the pursuit of justice’
Drewes’ allegations came one day after Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress and after he ended his political campaign in the race for California governor.
Drewes is represented by attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali of the Bloom Firm, a legal team that handles similar cases nationwide.
Swalwell has denied all accusations.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false,” he said in a social media post. “They also come on the eve of an election, where I have been the front runner candidate for governor in California.”
Fudali blasted Swalwell for suggesting that the accusations are an attempt to hurt his campaign for governor.
“This is not about the pursuit of governor,” Fudali said. “This is about the pursuit of justice.”
Drewes and her attorneys said they would immediately file a report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office after the briefing.
Attorney: Tip of the iceberg
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said it is investigating whether any allegations of criminal conduct occurred in its jurisdiction, since Swalwell represents parts of Alameda County.
“These allegations are both deeply concerning and disturbing,” the District Attorney’s Office said in a statement over the weekend.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has also launched an investigation into a sexual assault allegation against Swalwell.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said at an event Monday at George Washington University that she was unaware of any sexual misconduct allegations regarding Swalwell and said “it’s a smart decision” that he resigned and withdrew from the gubernatorial race.
Drewes’ story, Bloom said, may be just the tip of the iceberg regarding sexual assault allegations against the embattled congressman.
“Since the allegations, three other women have reached out to me,” Bloom said. “To any other women out there who want to talk to us, and I have received messages from other women, we are here to talk to you. To anyone else who is a witness who wants to talk to us, we are here, and we want to talk to you, of course, for free and confidentially.”
