Woman says Eric Swalwell drugged, raped and choked her: 'I thought I died' – NBC News

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Former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., faces a new sexual assault allegation from a woman who said he drugged, raped and choked her in a California hotel room in 2018.
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“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” the woman, Lonna Drewes, said Tuesday at a press conference with her attorneys about the alleged attack. “I thought I died.”
An attorney for Swalwell, who resigned from Congress on Tuesday afternoon, said her client “categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him.”
“These accusations are false, fabricated and deeply offensive – a calculated and transparent political hit job,” the statement by attorney Sara Azari continued. Swalwell previously admitted to making “mistakes” but has called accusations of sexual assault “flat false.”
Drewes said she had contact with Swalwell on a few separate occasions and that the first two encounters were friendly. “He offered me connections to further my software company,” she said.
“I knew he was married at the time and his wife was pregnant,” and thought “he was my friend,” she said.
On the third encounter, she said she believes he “drugged my drink.”
Drewes said after she had a glass of wine, Swalwell lured her to his hotel room by telling her he needed to get some paperwork before they went to a political event. By the time she reached the room, she said she was “incapacitated.”
She said that “I couldn’t move my arms or my body” and that’s when Swalwell attacked her.
“I would never have engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with Eric Swalwell,” she said, noting that she had a boyfriend at the time and have “never cheated in my life.”
The encounter had “a profound impact on my mental health,” she said. “I did not want to live anymore.”
She said she did not have any contact with Swalwell afterwards. She did not file a police report at the time, but that she “disclosed the assault to the people closest to me. I also recorded these events in my handwritten calendar. The assault and its impact were later documented during my therapy sessions at a sexual assault center in Connecticut.”
Drewes said she didn’t come forward earlier out of “fear — fear of his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties.”
Drewes’ attorney, Lisa Bloom, said they would be “immediately” filing a report in Los Angeles.
“Lonna is committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement,” she said. Bloom’s office confirmed that a report had been filed later Tuesday.
In a statement, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said, “Our office has assigned our Sex Crimes Division to work closely with law enforcement partners as this investigation unfolds. When and if a case is presented, seasoned prosecutors will review the facts and evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for charges to be filed. When a filing decision is made, we will ensure the public is made aware.”
Swalwell has faced a growing number of sexual misconduct allegations in recent days.
Swalwell, who’s served in the House since 2013, was a leading candidate in the race for California governor until late last week, when several women, including a former staffer, made allegations against him in the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN.
The former staffer alleged Swalwell twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent. A source familiar with the woman’s account confirmed to NBC News that the reporting by CNN and the Chronicle is accurate. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing legal matter.
Two other women alleged he sent them unsolicited photos or videos of his penis. One of those women, Ally Sammarco, confirmed her account of her experience to NBC News.
Another woman said Swalwell kissed her without her consent in public.
NBC News has not independently corroborated the other’s accounts.
On Saturday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said that it was opening an investigation into one of the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell, which allegedly took place in New York.
In his statement announcing his resignation from Congress on Monday, Swalwell apologized to his family for “mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” but added “will fight the serious, false allegation made against me.”
His attorney’s statement Tuesday said, “We are confident the truth will prevail, and we will pursue every available legal remedy against those responsible for orchestrating this reprehensible campaign of lies.”
Drewes, in her press conference, said “I stand with the other women who’ve come forward.”
Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.
Chloe Atkins reports for the NBC News National Security and Law Unit, based in New York.
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