The political career of Eric Swalwell has reached a dramatic turning point as a fifth woman, Lonna Drewes, came forward on Tuesday with severe allegations of sexual misconduct. Speaking at a press conference in Beverly Hills alongside attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali, Drewes detailed a harrowing 2018 encounter. She alleged that Swalwell drugged her drink, choked her until she lost consciousness, and raped her in a hotel room while she was physically incapacitated. Drewes, who worked as a model and ran a fashion software company at the time, noted that she considered Swalwell a friend and was aware he was married with a pregnant wife during the period these alleged incidents occurred. This latest accusation follows a weekend of intense political fallout that has effectively ended Swalwell’s immediate political aspirations. On Sunday, Swalwell withdrew from the 2026 California gubernatorial primary, where he had hoped to succeed Gavin Newsom. By Monday, the pressure mounted further, leading him to announce his resignation from his congressional seat. While Swalwell has admitted to “mistakes in judgment” and expressed regret to his family and constituents, he continues to vehemently deny the specific allegations of sexual assault published by the San Francisco Chronicle, labeling them as “false” and vowimg to fight them legally.
The legislative reaction in Washington D.C. has been swift and bipartisan. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a conservative Republican, proposed a resolution to forcibly remove Swalwell from office. This effort saw surprising alignment with some progressive Democrats, including Representative Pramila Jayapal, who expressed support for the expulsion. The movement against Swalwell coincided with a separate initiative by Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez to expel Republican Representative Tony Gonzales. Swalwell’s decision to resign appears to be a move to avoid a public and immediate expulsion vote, though he criticized the lack of due process in the current congressional climate. The erosion of Swalwell’s political base was cemented when high-profile allies, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, withdrew their support following the graphic reports. The San Francisco Chronicle’s investigation detailed a pattern of behavior where Swalwell allegedly pressured staff into intimate situations and pursued intoxicated women. These stories first began to surface via media personality Cheyenne Hunt, who shared testimonies from various women. This marks a sharp decline for Swalwell, a former prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and Dublin city councilman who rose to fame for his roles in the impeachment of Donald Trump and investigations into Russia.
