Eric Swalwell’s frequent lodge stays courtesy of his campaigns might have created a damning paper path.
The California Submit has confirmed the disgraced Democratic ex-congressman charged a congressional marketing campaign for a lodge room on the Montrose West Hollywood on July 18, 2018, which aligns with the date and site of an alleged rape incident reported Tuesday to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division by Lonna Drewes.
Drewes, a 50-year-old mannequin, publicly accused Swalwell — who within the final week has suspended his marketing campaign for California governor, resigned from Congress after accusations of rape and have become the main focus of legal investigations in Manhattan and Los Angeles — of sexually assaulting her throughout a 2018 encounter at a West Hollywood lodge room throughout a press convention Tuesday.
Drewes was the newest lady to come back ahead after two bombshell stories final week detailing allegations from a number of ladies. She alleged the then-congressman, whose spouse Brittany was pregnant on the time, lured her to his room beneath the pretense of serving to advance her trend software program firm.
“We have been purported to go to a political occasion, and he stated he wanted to get paperwork from his lodge room,” Drewes stated.
“After I arrived at his lodge room, I used to be already incapacitated, and I couldn’t transfer my arms over my physique. He raped me, and he choked me. And whereas he was choking me, I misplaced consciousness. I believed I died.”
The Sheriff’s Division informed The Submit it’s investigating a rape allegation made by a lady in opposition to Swalwell stemming from an incident in July 2018 on the 900 block of Hammond Avenue in West Hollywood, which corresponds with the situation of the Montrose West Hollywood lodge.
“The investigation stays in its preliminary levels and is ongoing,” authorities stated. “Investigators are within the strategy of gathering info, reviewing accessible proof, and conducting comply with up inquiries as a part of a complete investigative course of.”
The division’s Particular Victims Bureau, which focuses on investigating felonious sexual assaults, is dealing with the matter. As soon as the probe is full, officers stated the findings can be offered to the Los Angeles County District Lawyer’s Workplace for potential prices.
Rumors of Swalwell having extramarital affairs have been well-known for years in D.C.’s political bubble, however his frequent use of motels on marketing campaign tabs at the moment are being considered in a brand new mild. Federal information present that Swalwell made two prices on the Montorse West Hollywood on July 2018 — one for $353.19 and one other for $7.67.
The Submit beforehand reported on questions on Swalwell’s residency in California, as his neighbors in Livermore have by no means met him and he usually stayed at luxurious motels when returning to his East Bay district.
Simply final yr, Swalwell made 19 completely different prices to his gubernatorial marketing campaign on the luxurious lodge Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, in keeping with federal marketing campaign information. Swalwell’s frequent campaigning and rubbing elbows with celebrities led him to miss probably the most votes of any energetic member of Congress by the top of final yr.
In 2023 and 2024, Swalwell made 24 prices at motels in San Francisco, largely staying on the five-star 1 Lodge San Francisco on the Embarcadero in addition to the waterfront boutique inn Lodge Griffon.
Throughout that very same time interval, Swalwell racked up 9 completely different prices at The Rose Lodge in Pleasanton, a luxurious boutique inn positioned lower than eight miles from his supposed dwelling in Livermore. The congressman additionally had three prices with the lodge that seem to have been overturned, totaling virtually $1,739.
Early within the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, Swalwell additionally stayed on the Rose Lodge in Pleasanton regardless of claiming to dwell within the district. He additionally logged prices on the Fairmont Lodge and Lodge Adagio in San Francisco.
Swalwell, who has denied any legal conduct however admitted to indiscretions, employed hotshot anti-MeToo motion lawyer Sara Azari to fight the newest allegations from Drewes — and the lawyer got here out swinging Tuesday.
“These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive — a calculated and clear political hit job designed to destroy the status of a person who has spent twenty years in public service,” Azari stated in an announcement.
“We’re assured that the reality will prevail, and we’ll pursue each accessible authorized treatment in opposition to these answerable for orchestrating this reprehensible marketing campaign of lies.”
