A new accuser went public against Rep. Eric Swalwell on Tuesday, telling CBS News that the California Democrat invited her to a hotel room in an encounter she described as unmistakably sexual in nature, the latest in a cascade of allegations that has now ended his congressional career and his gubernatorial ambitions in a matter of days.
Annika Albrecht, who spoke in a CBS interview that aired Tuesday morning, said Swalwell had invited her to meet him in a hotel room and that it was "very clear what the connotation was." She told the network she now reflects on "how lucky I am that I didn't go to that hotel."
Albrecht is among at least four women who have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct ranging from unsolicited messages and photos to sexual assault and rape. The allegations surfaced Friday in a San Francisco Chronicle report, and the fallout has been swift and severe, consuming Swalwell's political future in less than a week.
The timeline tells the story. On Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle published accounts from multiple women accusing Swalwell of misconduct. Over the weekend, CNN reported that a former staffer alleged Swalwell raped her while she was intoxicated. The former staffer told CNN: "He didn't stop."
By Sunday, Swalwell suspended his run for California governor. On Monday, he announced he would resign from Congress. In a statement that afternoon, he confirmed he would step down from the House of Representatives, but notably set no date for his departure.
Swalwell framed his exit as a stand against a rushed process, saying he was aware of efforts to force an immediate expulsion vote and arguing that removing a lawmaker "within days of an allegation being made" without due process would be wrong. He acknowledged some fault, but drew a line at the most serious charge against him, as new accusers continued to come forward.
"I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I've made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility for the mistakes I did make."
That careful parsing, admitting "mistakes in judgment" while calling the rape allegation false, satisfied almost no one on Capitol Hill.
Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna made clear Tuesday that Swalwell's resignation announcement would not slow her push for an expulsion vote. Luna called his statement evasive, posting on X that his "'plan to resign his seat' is not binding and is wormy."
Luna went further on Monday afternoon, warning that more damaging material was imminent.
"For the members of Congress who are concerned about optics on expelling Swalwell, I think after the information drops you will be thinking otherwise. Eric, why don't you tell us a little about who was filming the video of the female sex worker."
That post referenced a video that circulated on X on Monday showing Swalwell and a woman in bed, with at least two other individuals apparently present. The source and authenticity of the video remain unclear. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has already opened a criminal probe into a separate sexual assault allegation against the congressman.
Luna had previously been joined by Democratic Women's Caucus chairman Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico in calling for both Swalwell and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales to resign or face expulsion votes, a rare bipartisan demand that reflected the seriousness of the allegations against both men.
Albrecht's CBS interview aired alongside fellow accuser Ally Sammarco and Cheyenne Hunt, an influencer who helped bring the women's accounts to public attention. The April 14 broadcast gave the accusers their most prominent platform yet.
Albrecht told CBS that her idea of justice goes beyond a resignation letter.
"For me, justice won't be until he can't ever harm a woman ever again, and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed."
That sentiment gained new force the same week as a fifth woman came forward publicly. Lonna Drewes appeared at a press conference and told the Washington Examiner that during a 2018 encounter in a hotel room, Swalwell drugged her drink, raped her, and choked her until she lost consciousness.
"He raped me, and he choked me, and while he was choking me, I lost consciousness, and I thought I died. I did not consent to sexual activity."
Drewes said she met Swalwell socially and that the alleged assault occurred during their third meeting. Her attorneys announced she is filing a police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and plans to provide corroborating evidence including text messages, journal entries, photographs, and witness information. As the New York Post reported, Drewes said the alleged attack took place in a West Hollywood hotel room.
Drewes explained her years of silence simply: "My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt." That a fifth accuser would surface publicly, with legal counsel and plans for a formal police report, only deepens the legal and political exposure Swalwell faces even after leaving office.
An East Bay journalist has said Swalwell's conduct toward women was an open secret in Alameda County political circles, raising uncomfortable questions about how long those around him looked the other way.
Swalwell is married to Brittany Watts, his wife of nine years. The couple have three young children. The congressman built a public brand as a champion of women's rights and a fierce critic of men accused of misconduct, a record that now reads as a case study in political hypocrisy.
During the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, Swalwell was among the loudest Democratic voices insisting that accusers "deserve to be heard." That standard, as critics have been quick to point out, now applies to him. The question is whether the institutions he once wielded against others will hold him to the same measure.
Swalwell was not the only congressman to announce his departure on Monday. Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said he would file his retirement from office when Congress reconvenes, following a Daily Mail report exposing a sex scandal involving his married aide, Regina Aviles.
Gonzales had already dropped his bid for reelection and admitted last month to the relationship, calling it a "mistake" and a "lapse in judgment." Aviles took her own life in September of last year.
Gonzales wrote on X on Monday:
"There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas."
He added that he takes "full responsibility" for his actions and has reconciled with his wife, Angel. The parallel resignations, one Democrat, one Republican, gave the expulsion push from both Fernandez and Luna a bipartisan character rare in today's Congress.
Swalwell's statement set no departure date, and Luna has made clear she does not consider a vague pledge to resign as binding. Whether the House moves forward with an expulsion vote before Swalwell actually vacates his seat remains an open question. Luna warned on Monday that more damaging information was forthcoming within twenty-four hours.
Meanwhile, Swalwell faces both a congressional investigation and criminal scrutiny. The Manhattan DA's probe is underway. Drewes's attorneys are preparing a formal police report in Los Angeles County. And reports had already circulated that additional allegations from former staffers were expected.
The congressman who once demanded that every accuser be believed now insists the most serious charge against him is false. The women lining up to say otherwise are no longer anonymous. They have names, attorneys, and cameras pointed at them.
Swalwell wanted due process for himself. Fair enough. But the man who built a career on the politics of "believe all women" might find that the standard he championed doesn't come with an exemption for its authors.
