Swalwell: Who is Lorna Drews? After Democrats resign, fifth woman accuses Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct
Lonna Drewes has become the fifth woman to publicly accuse California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct. Drewes is a former model and software company owner. She appeared at a press conference in Beverly Hills with her attorney, Lisa Bloom. She detailed a 2018 incident in which she claimed Swalwell drugged, raped and choked her until she lost consciousness and thought she was going to die.
What are the charges?
Drews recalled the incident nearly seven years ago, saying she met Swalwell while living and working in Beverly Hills. At the time, she was running a fashion software company and she claims Swalwell offered to use his political connections to help her business. The third time they met, they were attending a restaurant opening and planned to attend a political event later.According to Drews, Swalwell wanted to stop by his hotel room to pick up documents. She claimed she felt weak and “heavy” when they arrived at the room after having just one drink earlier in the evening. She claimed she did not consent to any sexual activity and was unable to move or resist. Drews explained that she did not report the crime to police in 2018 because she was intimidated by Swalwell’s power and her family’s ties to law enforcement. However, she documented these events in her diary and discussed them in therapy. Her legal team will use the records to present evidence to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Who are the other four women accused of sexual misconduct?
Before Drews came forward, four other women had made serious accusations against Eric, leading him to resign from Congress and drop out of the California gubernatorial race this week:
- A former congressional aide accused Swalwell of raping her in a New York City hotel room in 2024. She claimed she was extremely drunk and that Swalwell ignored her repeated pleas to stop. She also described a second incident in 2019, when she woke up naked in his hotel room with no memory of the night.
- A woman who met Swalwell through social media alleged that Swalwell touched and kissed her without consent. She claimed she became incapacitated during an in-person meeting and later found herself in his hotel room with gaps in her memory.
- Two other women have come forward with accusations of online harassment. They allege Swalwell sent unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos through platforms such as Snapchat after initiating contact under the guise of professional coaching.
Eric Swalwell, through his attorney Sara Azari, “categorically and unequivocally” denies all accusations of sexual assault and rape. He admitted to “errors of judgment” about his personal life and resigned from his post. But he insists the criminal charges are false.
