NPR Adds New Allegations Against Eric Swalwell

+ Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions The Best Music of 2025 Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Planet Money Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions The Best Music of 2025 About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics Eric Swalwell facing new sexual assault allegations after resignation from Congress Eric Swalwell is facing new allegations of sexual assault, days after the California Democrat formally submitted his resignation from Congress. Politics Eric Swalwell facing new sexual assault allegations after resignation from Congress April 15, 20264:43 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition By Marisa Lagos Eric Swalwell facing new sexual assault allegations after resignation from Congress Listen &middot; 2:35 2:35 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5785157/nx-s1-9730550" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Eric Swalwell is facing new allegations of sexual assault, days after the California Democrat formally submitted his resignation from Congress. Sponsor Message A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: Congressman Eric Swalwell now faces a second rape accusation. The California Democrat resigned from Congress Tuesday. From member station KQED, Marisa Lagos has more on the disturbing allegations, and we'll note that this report includes descriptions of sexual violence.

+ MARISA LAGOS, BYLINE: Swalwell dropped out of the California governor's race Sunday, two days after a former staffer accused him of sexually assaulting her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent in 2019 and 2024. NPR has not independently verified the allegations, which Swalwell denies. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ERIC SWALWELL: These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have. LAGOS: On Tuesday, he resigned from Congress. Also Tuesday, a Southern California woman named Lonna Drewes said at a news conference in Los Angeles that Swalwell drugged and raped her in his West Hollywood hotel room in 2018. Swalwell denied the latest accusation through his attorney and called all of the accusations, quote, "a calculated and transparent political hit job." Drewes says she met Swalwell socially and saw him three times. On their third meeting, she says, Swalwell told her he needed to get some paperwork from his hotel room. She had drunk just one glass of wine, she says. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) LONNA DREWES: I arrived at his hotel room. I was already incapacitated, and I couldn't move my arms or my body. He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died. LAGOS: Drewes says she's reporting the alleged assault to law enforcement and pledged to cooperate with any investigation. Drewes says she disclosed the assault to people close to her at the time and documented it in her calendar and during therapy at a sexual assault center. She says she was interested in Swalwell's promises of professional connections and help. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DREWES: My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt. Fear of his political power, his background as an attorney. LAGOS: Swalwell is a well-known figure in Democratic politics who was emerging as a top contender in the race for California governor until allegations surfaced Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle and on CNN. In addition to the accusations of rape, three other women have accused him of harassing them with unwanted advances and lewd text messages - allegations he denies. For NPR News, I'm Marisa Lagos in San Francisco. Copyright &copy; 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Facebook Flipboard Email Read & Listen Home News Culture Music Podcasts & Shows Connect Newsletters Facebook Instagram Press Public Editor Corrections Transcripts Contact & Help About NPR Overview Diversity NPR Network Accessibility Ethics Finances Get Involved Support Public Radio Sponsor NPR NPR Careers NPR Shop NPR Extra Terms of Use Privacy Your Privacy Choices Text Only Sponsor Message Sponsor MessageBecome an NPR sponsor (function () { var loadPageJs = function () { (window.webpackJsonp=window.webpackJsonp||[]).push([[22],{1167:function(e,n,c){e.exports=c(323)},323:function(e,n,c){"use strict";c.p=NPR.serverVars.webpackPublicPath,Promise.all([c.e(1),c.e(2),c.e(3),c.e(4),c.e(82)]).then(function(e){c(3),c(1140),c(116),c(94),c(52),c(493),c(239),c(102),c(104),c(1141),c(143),c(1142),c(238),c(48),c(1143)}.bind(null,c)).catch(c.oe)}},[[1167,0]]]); }; if (document.readyState === 'complete') { loadPageJs(); } else { window.addEventListener('load', function load() { window.removeEventListener('load', load, false); loadPageJs(); }); } })();