00:00He raped me, and he choked me, and while he was choking me, I lost consciousness.
00:11That's Lona Drews, the fifth woman accusing former US Congressman Eric Swalwell of sexual assault,
00:16adding to a growing list of misconduct allegations.
00:19I believe he drugged my drink.
00:21Speaking on 14 April, Drews said she'd been reluctant to come forward with her allegations
00:26that Swalwell drugged and raped her in a hotel room in 2018 in California.
00:31She says she stayed silent for years, fearing his political power.
00:34According to her, she met Swalwell while working as a model in Beverly Hills and initially considered
00:39him a friend.
00:40But during a meeting, she claims she became unable to move after a drink and later lost consciousness
00:45during the alleged assault.
00:46Swalwell has strongly denied the accusations.
00:58Drews' account adds to a growing list of allegations, with multiple women accusing the former lawmaker
01:04of misconduct, ranging from harassment to rape, including claims of unwanted explicit messages
01:09prompting a congressional ethics investigation and legal scrutiny.
01:13Amid mounting pressure, Swalwell has resigned from Congress and withdrawn from the California
01:17governor's race but continues to deny every allegation.
01:20I do not suggest to you in any way that I'm perfect or that I'm a saint.
01:24I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past.
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