Representative Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress just hours after Lonna Drewes publicly alleged he raped her in a West Hollywood hotel room in 2018, claiming she had been drugged. Drewes, a model in fashion technology, stated her delay in coming forward stemmed from fear of Swalwell’s political standing, particularly his background as an attorney with law enforcement family ties.

This latest accusation compounds previous reports published by The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailing other alleged sexual encounters and unsolicited photo sharing by the Democrat. Swalwell had already suspended his gubernatorial campaign over those initial stories, making his departure from the House almost inevitable given the escalating situation.

Swalwell’s legal counsel, Sara Azari, issued a statement categorically denying all allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against the married father of three. Drewes asserts she did not consent, though she did not file a police report or undergo a rape kit following the alleged 2018 incident.

The political fallout is complete for the San Francisco Bay Area lawmaker, whose career ended amidst an intensifying series of claims that began circulating just as he gained traction in the race for Governor Newsom’s seat.