Former congressman resigns amid mounting allegations, with additional accusers speaking publicly for the first time.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Former Rep. Eric Swalwell is facing a growing number of sexual misconduct allegations as multiple women have come forward publicly, prompting investigations and his resignation from Congress.
Among the accusers is Annika Albrecht, who described her experience in an interview with CBS News. She said she first met Swalwell while in college during a visit to Washington, D.C., where he offered to mentor her and remain in contact following a meeting with her student group.
“That was an incredibly generous offer that I felt very lucky to have,” Albrecht said.
According to her account, Swalwell later initiated private communication through a messaging platform, after first creating a group chat with multiple students. Albrecht said she later discovered she was the only individual from the group added separately as a contact.
She said the exchanges initially focused on political discussions before shifting in tone. “Ultimately, it reached a point where he invited me to a hotel to meet him,” Albrecht said. “It was very clear what the connotation was.”
Albrecht said she stopped responding to the messages and did not meet him. “What I keep thinking back to is lucky I am that I didn’t go to that hotel,” she added. “For me, justice won’t be until he can’t ever harm a woman ever again, and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed.”
A separate accuser, Lonna Drews, spoke at a press conference in Beverly Hills, alleging that Swalwell assaulted her during an encounter in 2018. Drews said she had known Swalwell socially and had contact with him on multiple occasions.
“In 2018, while I was living and working as a model in Beverly Hills, and I also owned a fashion software company, I had contact with Eric Swalwell on three separate occasions,” she said.
“I knew he was married at the time and that his wife was pregnant. He was my friend. On the third occasion, I believe he drugged my drink,” Drews said.
“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,” she said. “I would never have engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with Eric Swalwell.”
Attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents Drews, said additional individuals have contacted her with similar claims. She said three other women reached out within a 24-hour period and indicated that legal action would be pursued.
“I represent a brave Eric Swalwell accuser. Her disturbing story is forthcoming. We call upon him to resign from Congress and the governor’s race, and we will cooperate with authorities in their investigation,” Bloom said prior to the press conference. She later described Swalwell’s public response to the allegations as “a slap in the face to the victims.”
Investigations into the allegations are underway, including reviews by the House Ethics Committee and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress on Monday, one day after withdrawing from the California governor’s race.
Original article
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