Eric Swalwell Following the Beverly Hills model, his attorney issued another response to the California Democrat’s sexual assault and rape accusations Lorna Drews An incident allegedly occurred at the Montrose Hotel in West Hollywood in July 2018. It comes as the 45-year-old congressman announced his resignation from Congress and gave up his bid for governor after weeks of leading the race.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported the charges against Swalwell earlier this month. CNN also added that several women have accused him of sexual misconduct, including a former staffer.
Read more: Senator Ruben Gallego breaks silence on claims he appeared in Eric Swalwell’s viral video
Eric Swalwell’s attorney responds
Eric Swalwell has previously denied all accusations. His attorney, Sara Azari, told NewsNation on Wednesday that “regret is not rape.”
She continued, “So, you know, the fact that a day later, a few years later, or whatever, you might be ashamed of what you did, or maybe you were in a relationship and shouldn’t have done what you did, but that doesn’t mean rape.”
“Congressman Eric Swalwell unequivocally denies every allegation of sexual misconduct and sexual assault made against him,” Azari added in a separate statement.
“These charges are false, fabricated and deeply offensive, and represent a carefully orchestrated and transparent political hit job designed to destroy the reputation of a man who has spent two decades in public service.”
The latest from Brittany Watts
Meanwhile, Swalwell’s wife, Brittany Watts, reportedly deleted her Instagram profile. On Wednesday, social media users raised other unsubstantiated claims.
“Swalwell’s wife, Brittany Watts, filed a series of legal actions against Swalwell, including divorce papers. She also provided family financial records to the FBI. I’ve said it before. But I’ll say it again. Swalwell’s political career is over. Over. Over,” one person (@TomOdell) posted on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
However, there is no official statement to support this claim.
Eric Swalwell makes big move
Swalwell resigned from Congress on Wednesday. A special election is expected to be held in August to fill his vacant seat. He also faces a separate investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office into another alleged incident.
Speaking about the fallout, Swalwell acknowledged past personal mistakes but denied wrongdoing.
“I’m not in any way suggesting to you that I’m perfect or that I’m a saint. I do make errors of judgment in the past. But those mistakes were between me and my wife, and I’m deeply sorry to her that I put her in this situation,” he said.
Lorna Drews’ major accusations
Beverly Hills model Lonna Drewes claims the congressman drugged and beat her back in 2018.
“When I got to his hotel room, I was incapacitated, I couldn’t physically move my arms. He raped me, he choked me. When he choked me, I lost consciousness. I thought I was dead,” she said.
She reported the incident to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who confirmed an active investigation is underway.
“The investigation remains preliminary and ongoing. Investigators are gathering information, reviewing available evidence and conducting follow-up investigations as part of a comprehensive investigative process,” the Sheriff’s Department said.
More accusations emerge
Another woman, Annika Albrecht, accused Swalwell of inappropriate behavior, saying he initiated contact under the guise of mentoring and then sent sexually suggestive messages on Snapchat.
“I kept thinking how lucky I was that I didn’t go to that hotel,” Albrecht said, adding that she immediately stopped replying to him. “The connotation is clear at a glance.”
A third accuser, whose identity has not been made public, claims another attack occurred in a New York City hotel room in 2024.
Why Eric Swalwell resigned
Azari stressed that the seriousness of the allegations required formal legal review rather than public debate.
“I do not dispute the seriousness of the allegations here, that someone was accused of rape; someone was allegedly drugged,” the lawyer said. “This highlights why we cannot resolve this issue in the court of public opinion.”
“These accusations are false. The court of public opinion is not the place to come up with receipts,” she added.
She also believes Swalwell’s resignation reflects responsibility in the face of the ongoing legal battle.
“I think it shows a huge amount of responsibility, not because he did these things and he’s resigning, but because of how he properly defended himself and represented his constituents while these serious charges were pending,” Azari told NewsNation. “So he wasn’t able to do his job properly, but it was the right thing to do.”
