LOS ANGELES (RTW News) — A California woman has come forward with allegations that Congressman Eric Swalwell raped her in 2018 and announced plans to report the incident to law enforcement on Tuesday. Lonna Drewes alleged during a press conference that the assault took place at a hotel in Southern California, where she believes Swalwell drugged her before the incident occurred. Swalwell's resignation from Congress, announced just days before amid previous allegations of sexual assault from other women, has stirred significant media attention.
I did not consent to any sexual activity, Drewes stressed during her emotional conference.
There was no immediate response from Swalwell's attorney, Elias Debaie, regarding Drewes' latest accusation. The Associated Press typically does not name individuals who make allegations of sexual assault unless they decide to identify themselves publicly.
Drewes stated that after the alleged assault, she did not go through a rape kit but discussed the incident with friends and kept records of her experience in her journal, which she will present as evidence in her report to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Swalwell's sudden exit from political life follows other allegations of sexual conduct, including those claiming nonconsensual sexual encounters and inappropriate messaging behavior from his past. While he denied previous claims, he acknowledged making serious errors in judgment.
The journalism community takes these matters seriously, encouraging survivors like Drewes to come forward, while also providing resources for anyone impacted by sexual violence. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673 for those in need of support.
I did not consent to any sexual activity, Drewes stressed during her emotional conference.
There was no immediate response from Swalwell's attorney, Elias Debaie, regarding Drewes' latest accusation. The Associated Press typically does not name individuals who make allegations of sexual assault unless they decide to identify themselves publicly.
Drewes stated that after the alleged assault, she did not go through a rape kit but discussed the incident with friends and kept records of her experience in her journal, which she will present as evidence in her report to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Swalwell's sudden exit from political life follows other allegations of sexual conduct, including those claiming nonconsensual sexual encounters and inappropriate messaging behavior from his past. While he denied previous claims, he acknowledged making serious errors in judgment.
The journalism community takes these matters seriously, encouraging survivors like Drewes to come forward, while also providing resources for anyone impacted by sexual violence. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673 for those in need of support.
