A new allegation of sexual assault has been made against U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, with the accuser claiming the incident occurred in 2018. At a press conference held Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Lonna Drewes accused Swalwell of drugging and raping her in a West Hollywood hotel room, asserting she delayed reporting the incident due to his political influence.

Drewes, accompanied by her attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali, described the alleged assault in detail. She said Swalwell choked her until she lost consciousness and that she believed she might have died. The accuser stated the initial encounter followed two prior public meetings, during which she was aware Swalwell was married and his wife was pregnant. Drewes said she was drugged after consuming only a single glass of wine and was incapacitated when taken to the hotel room under the pretext of collecting paperwork.

According to Drewes, she did not consent to any sexual activity and did not undergo a rape examination at the time. However, she disclosed the assault to close contacts and documented the events in a handwritten calendar, with the psychological effects later addressed in therapy at a sexual assault center. She also recounted suffering from severe mental health challenges following the incident, including self-medication and suicidal thoughts, attributing her silence in part to fear of Swalwell’s political power and law enforcement connections within his family.

Following the press conference, Drewes indicated she intended to provide evidence to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which confirmed it had commenced a preliminary investigation through its Special Victims Bureau into the allegations.

Swalwell, 45, has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and assault through his attorney, Sara Azari, who emphasized his categorical denial. Amid growing scrutiny, Swalwell resigned from Congress effective Tuesday afternoon, the same day the new allegation became public. Earlier this month, he suspended his campaign for governor of California, and the House ethics committee initiated an investigation after allegations by a former staffer of two sexual assaults. Additional reports have surfaced accusing him of sending unsolicited explicit images or messages to several women.

At the press event, Drewes’s legal team noted that three additional women had reached out with allegations since the announcement, though no further information was provided. Bloom underscored the right of all women to bodily autonomy, regardless of the accused’s status, while Fudali emphasized the need for accountability beyond political partisanship.

Swalwell apologized earlier this week to his family, staff, and constituents for past lapses in judgment, asserting his intention to contest what he describes as false accusations. The multiple allegations against Swalwell continue to draw attention as investigations proceed.