“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity,” Lonna Drewes told reporters at a press conference at the office of her lawyers in Beverly Hills.

Drewes said Swalwell, whom she met through mutual friends, “spoke repeatedly about his ability to make connections” to help with her software company. Drewes said she was also considering a run for Beverly Hills City Council at the time. 

In a statement posted online, an attorney for Swalwell said he “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 designed to destroy the reputation of a man who has spent nearly twenty years in public service,” attorney Sara Azari wrote.

Asked if Swalwell thought the women were lying about corroborating evidence such as medical records that they had provided to reporters, Azari wrote, “We haven’t seen documents.”

A week ago, Swalwell was one of three leading Democratic contenders for governor, but his support quickly collapsed soon after the San Francisco Chronicle reported last Friday that an unnamed former staff member said Swalwell solicited oral sex from her while she was working for him and twice sexually assaulted her when she was too drunk to consent. 

CNN later Friday published the same woman’s account, as well as those of three other women, one of whom said he kissed and touched her inappropriately and two of whom alleged he sent unsolicited messages. 

Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign Sunday night and officially resigned from Congress Tuesday. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proclaimed a special election to serve the remainder of Swalwell’s term on Aug. 18. That person would serve through December; several candidates are already running in a June 2 primary election to replace him next January.

Drewes said she met Swalwell three times in total in 2018 and did not see him again after the third time, when the alleged assault took place. She provided reporters a photo that her attorneys said showed one of their meetings, during an opening of a Beverly Hills restaurant. The restaurant opened in late April 2018, according to news reports.

One of her attorneys, Lisa Bloom, said she would be filing a complaint with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office later Tuesday, which will include text messages between the two, journal entries in which Drews said she recorded the incident at the time and information about people whom she told about the alleged assault. Drewes also told reporters she sought therapy afterward at a center for assault survivors in Connecticut. 

This has been updated with a statement from Swalwell’s attorney.

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He said he would “fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”

Swalwell’s campaign collapsed Friday soon after the first report in the San Francisco Chronicle, in which the unnamed former staff member said Swalwell solicited oral sex from her while she was working for him and twice sexually assaulted her when she was too drunk to consent. The account was corroborated with medical records and by people the woman spoke with after the last incident, which she said took place in New York in 2024.

CNN later Friday published the same woman’s account, as well as those of three other women, one of whom said he kissed and touched her inappropriately and two of whom alleged he sent unsolicited nude photos and other inappropriate messages on Snapchat.

Dozens of supporters and staffers quickly dropped their support for him. Major unions and congressional candidates pulled their endorsements.

It was unclear when Swalwell would step down, but he said he would work with his congressional staff to ensure they are able to meet the needs of his San Francisco East Bay district, where he was first elected in 2013.

Because he is leaving the race after a state deadline to file for or withdraw from a race, his name will still appear on the June 2 primary ballot.

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    The allegations come after The Washington Post reported that FBI Director Kash Patel has instructed agents to prepare files from a decade-old investigation for possible public release. The case examined Swalwell’s past interactions with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

    According to the report, the documents are being reviewed and redacted by agents in the bureau’s San Francisco office — a move that former officials say is highly unusual, particularly since the investigation never resulted in criminal charges.

    The inquiry focused on Swalwell’s contact with Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, who was involved in fundraising efforts tied to his early congressional campaigns. After being briefed by intelligence officials in 2015 about concerns regarding her connections, Swalwell cut off all contact. He has never been accused of wrongdoing.

    In a statement released Saturday, Swalwell dismissed the renewed attention to the case, calling it politically motivated.

    “This is about targeting political opponents,” he said, adding that the timing of the reported document release raises serious concerns as California’s gubernatorial race begins to take shape.

    Swalwell, who launched his campaign for governor in November, argued that the effort is designed to weaken his candidacy as he gains traction in the race.

    He also suggested that the move reflects a broader strategy by the administration to influence elections beyond Washington, saying the goal is to shape leadership in key states.

    The FBI has not publicly commented on the report.

    Supporters of Swalwell quickly echoed his concerns. Adam Schiff, who has endorsed him in the governor’s race, criticized what he described as a misuse of federal agencies, writing that such actions could undermine public trust.

    Schiff, who previously served alongside Swalwell on the House Intelligence Committee, said the situation reflects a pattern of political retaliation. Both lawmakers played prominent roles in investigations and impeachment proceedings during Trump’s presidency.

    Other Democrats voiced similar concerns. Jimmy Gomez called the move a waste of resources, pointing out that the case had already been reviewed and closed without findings of misconduct.

    “Revisiting this now raises serious questions,” Gomez said, arguing the timing appears tied to the upcoming election.

    Meanwhile, Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said any effort to revive the case for political purposes could cross legal and ethical lines, including potential violations of federal rules governing political activity.

    The original investigation dates back to the early 2010s. According to reporting from the Associated Press, Fang became involved with Swalwell’s campaign during his first run for Congress in 2012 and later participated in fundraising efforts. She also helped place an intern in his office.

    Federal authorities alerted Swalwell in 2015 about their concerns regarding Fang, prompting him to sever ties. Years later, in 2023, the House Ethics Committee concluded a review of the matter without finding evidence of wrongdoing.

    In its closing letter, the committee noted the broader risks posed by foreign influence but did not accuse Swalwell of misconduct.

    As the governor’s race continues to develop, the controversy is likely to remain a flashpoint — blending national politics with California’s high-stakes election season.

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In a wide-open contest ahead of a June primary, a burst of negative publicity aimed at the Democratic U.S. House member suggests that Swalwell’s leading rivals see him gaining momentum in a race that has been overshadowed by international wars, turmoil in Washington and soaring gas prices.

To listen to his competitors, he has a no-show job in Congress, he might not live in California and he’s a sympathizer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which staged immigration raids across Los Angeles that led to violent protests. His campaign disputes those claims.

“Whoever’s head starts to stick up higher than the rest, the other candidates pick up their mallets and start to knock them back down,” said Democratic consultant Roger Salazar, who is not involved in the contest.

With high-profile endorsements from Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff and the influential Service Employees International Union California — paired with favorable polling — other campaigns ramped up attacks in an apparent effort to blunt any Swalwell gains. In a race that has yet to capture the public’s attention, marquee endorsements can move votes.

“It’s like a kids’ soccer game — people move with the pack,” Salazar added.

Residency questions shake up campaign

Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.

Billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist Tom Steyer, who is among a handful of leading Democrats, posted a digital ad mocking Swalwell for missing votes in Congress that depicted the congressman taking dunks in a pool while the U.S. House was calling votes, while his campaign separately questioned Swalwell’s residency status in California. According to the Swalwell campaign, the Steyer post used video that the congressman put out during the 2025 government shutdown.

Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and one of the leading Republicans, has said Swalwell should be disqualified because of questions about his residency.

In a letter to the state’s chief elections officer earlier this month, Steyer’s campaign argued the Swalwell lived in California “on paper” and asked the office to investigate whether the congressman is eligible to serve as governor. The state constitution requires five years of residency to run for governor, but the California Secretary of State’s Office has said the provision is unenforceable.

The office did not immediately respond to an email inquiring about the status of the request.

The California Post recently sent a reporter to Swalwell’s listed address in the San Francisco Bay Area. The news outlet interviewed neighbors who said they had never seen Swalwell. Meanwhile, Swalwell’s landlord filed legal papers with the secretary of state affirming that the congressman and his wife have rented the property since 2017. “He lives at the property,” the documents said.

Swalwell said he receives hundreds of death threats and keeps his address private to protect his family, and he accused Steyer and the news outlet of putting them at risk. His campaign says his living arrangements are no different from any other House member from California. He maintains dual residences, one in the state and the other in Washington.

In a related development Friday, a state court in Sacramento issued a tentative ruling denying a petition that asked the court to block election officials from certifying Swalwell’s candidacy, arguing that he was ineligible to serve because he lived in Washington.

Swalwell missed votes in September following the death of his mother, but campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley added that the congressman “has always been present for important or close votes.”

“Tom Steyer has spent $100 MILLION lying about me,” Swalwell posted on the social platform X.

Another leading Democrat, former Rep. Katie Porter, has dinged Swalwell for what she describes as his support for immigration enforcement personnel.

“Eric Swalwell voted to thank ICE,” Porter wrote in an email to supporters. “ICE needs to be abolished, not thanked.”

His campaign confirmed that Swalwell was among 75 Democrats who voted last year in favor of a GOP-sponsored resolution condemning an attack on a Colorado demonstration that was being held in support of Israeli hostages, which left one woman dead. The resolution expressed “gratitude” to law enforcement, including ICE.

His campaign added that he has proposed restrictions on ICE activities, including requiring agents to remove masks and display official identification. “If there’s someone that Rep. Swalwell has gone after more than Trump, it’s ICE,” Beasley said.

Candidates try to break from the pack

With mail-in voting scheduled to begin in early May, candidates are jostling for advantage in a race in which a fraction of a percentage point could decide the outcome. The election marks the first time since voters approved the state’s “ top two ” primary system more than a decade ago that there has been a governor’s race with no dominant candidate, enticing a crowd of Democrats into the contest.

Indeed, Democrats are openly fretting that the party’s numerous candidates will undercut each other and allow two Republicans to advance to the November election. Even in the heavily Democratic state, an all-GOP general election is possible under the unusual top-two primary system, which puts all candidates on one ballot and advances the top-two vote-getters, regardless of party.

Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found the field had broken into two distinct groups, with Swalwell, Hilton, Porter, Steyer and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, in close competition, with other candidates trailing.

Swalwell faces the same challenge as other Democrats — how to stand apart in a field where the candidates largely agree on many issues, including resistance to Trump’s agenda and lowering the cost of living in a state with some of the nation’s highest housing costs, taxes and utility bills.

Even with Swalwell winning a coveted endorsement from SEIU, “there’s still a little bit of a window” for another Democratic candidate to pull ahead, said Democratic political consultant Elizabeth Ashford.

“There is momentum behind Swalwell,” she said. “I just don’t know that it has reached quite the tipping point of like, ‘OK, this is the clear front-runner.’”

The uncertainty hovering over the race to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was underscored by a rare but not unprecedented decision by the powerful California Federation of Labor Unions, which endorsed four rival Democrats — Swalwell, Steyer, Villaraigosa and Porter. Each has an extensive history working with labor.

Federation President Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher said the dynamics of the race continue to fluctuate.

“I think you’re still going to see a lot of that bouncing back and forth before it really settles in,” she added.

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