Murphy’s Law is an adage that basically stipulates “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”
Soon-to-be former Rep. Eric Swalwell has been living that adage out this week, seeing his once-promising political career hit about six feet below rock bottom.
The progressive Californian both withdrew his nomination for California governor and announced his resignation from Congress this week after a deluge of allegations accusing Swalwell of sexually assaulting young female staffers.
Of note, Swalwell is married and has three children.
But while Swalwell has largely retreated from the public eye — presumably to work on his marriage in private — the public isn’t quite as done with him as he is with them.
In fact, in keeping with the theme of “when it rains, it pours,” gasoline has just been poured on one of those allegations that has torpedoed Swalwell’s career.
According to NBC News, a woman named Lonna Drewes came forward with some disturbingly graphic allegations against Swalwell.
“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” Drewes said during a Tuesday news conference.
She added, “I thought I died.”
Drewes claimed that Swalwell offered to help connect her to people who could aid with her software company. In fact, the first two meetings with Swalwell were perfectly pleasant and friendly, before the catastrophic encounter in a West Hollywood hotel.
An attorney for Swalwell has vehemently denied these claims.
“These accusations are false, fabricated and deeply offensive — a calculated and transparent political hit job,” Swalwell’s attorney said.
(Swalwell has hinted that he had failed his wife, but has largely denied allegations of assault or rape.)
But while Swalwell and his team are denying Drewes’ allegation, it might be a little harder to deny the paper trail that internet sleuths have dug up.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin and California Target Book Research Director Rob Pyers took to X and documented a receipt putting Swalwell at the time and place of the alleged Drewes rape.
Not much information here yet, but 2 matching transactions for campaign travel expenses at a hotel in West Hollywood in 2018…https://t.co/6S8WhZAXUC pic.twitter.com/qEZcZBYvXf
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) April 14, 2026
NEW: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says the alleged rape of Lonna Drewes by Eric Swalwell took place in July 2018 in the 900 block of Hammond Street. This comes back to the Montrose Hotel. Campaign finance expert @rpyers has flagged a travel expense from Swalwell’s… pic.twitter.com/jEH19r9Ihp
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 15, 2026
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says the alleged rape of Lonna Drewes by Eric Swalwell took place in July 2018 in the 900 block of Hammond Street,” Melugin posted to X on Tuesday.
He then provided the critical context: “This comes back to the Montrose Hotel. Campaign finance expert [Rob Pyers] has flagged a travel expense from Swalwell’s campaign at the time, with FEC records showing ‘Swalwell for Congress’ spent $361 in travel expenses at the Montrose Hotel on July 18th, 2018.”
Swalwell has repeatedly denied claims of sexual assault and abuse, and has not been charged with any crimes as of yet.
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