Well, it’s a day ending in “y” so it makes sense that the Justice Department has found a reason to investigate yet another Democrat over corruption allegations. And this Democrat should be familiar to anyone who paid even passing attention to the filthy scandal involving disgraced now-former Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.
Sen. Ruben Gallego repeatedly used campaign cash to fund luxury outings with his wife and to care for his children since launching his campaign for Senate in 2023, according to a POLITICO review of campaign finance records and a person familiar with the senator’s spending.
The Arizona Democrat has used his leadership PAC to fund recent trips to Miami, Chicago, Disneyland and Disney World with his family. Gallego has tapped that PAC and his main campaign committee for more than $18,000 in reimbursements for child care since 2019 — including $400 to his wife’s mother for babysitting.
And Federal Election Commission records show that on one such occasion, Gallego used a joint campaign account with disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell to attend the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona with his wife, Sydney.
Federal lawmakers can legally use campaign committee funds for travel, food, events and even child care, as long as those funds are not for “personal use,” meaning they may not cover activities that would exist irrespective of the campaign, according to the FEC. Leadership PACs are not even beholden to that “personal use” rule, meaning lawmakers have broad latitude to use the money they raise as long as it has some fundraising function. Ruben Gallego has leaned into that leeway, with his three children, Sydney Gallego, her mother and their full-time au pair frequently joining the senator on donors’ dime, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the situation.
“He just spends his campaign account like it’s his personal slush fund,” said the person. “He’s using campaign cash to live a luxury lifestyle.”
Gallego did not dispute using donor funds to pay for family travel or child care. “This is not breaking news,” he said in a statement to POLITICO. “With the rising costs of child care and the burden it has on the budgets of American families, Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the White House alike regularly travel with their wives and children, as is permitted by the FEC.”
Yeah, okay, Reuben. Except that, according to a separate POLITICO report, the Justice Department isn’t convinced you’re being completely honest:
The Justice Department is investigating Sen. Ruben Gallego for suspected campaign finance violations, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The federal probe stems from a “whistleblower complaint” out of Southern California, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about an ongoing investigation.
The Justice Department has not contacted Gallego nor his team, according to a spokesperson for the senator. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment.
Gallego’s office responded with one of the most politically unaware statements possible: It’s President Trump’s fault. He’s ‘weaponizing the DOJ,’ you see:
President Donald Trump “is targeting Senator Gallego while the most weaponized Department of Justice in history is turning a blind eye to Trump’s unprecedented corruption.” The spokesperson added that “It’s the least surprising news of the week that this comes immediately after the Senate Ethics Committee cleared Senator Gallego of rightwing smears pushed by the administration weeks ago.”
When it was Joe Biden’s DoJ actually bringing charges against Trump, Gallego was all-in for that. What Biden’s DoJ was doing wasn’t ‘weaponizing’ justice but meting it out. Sure. And Joe was fully in charge of his administration, too. I’ve got oceanfront property in Colorado to sell you if you believe Gallego.
I can’t say with any certainty that Gallego has done something wrong. The DoJ thinks it’s possible, obviously. But I will say this: Even if he’s ‘following congressional rules’ regarding that spending, it stinks to high heaven. It looks corrupt. It appears unethical. And his bromance with his disgraced bud, Swalwell, makes it all seem even worse.
Democrats aren’t the only ones giving Congress a bad name. But they are the biggest contributors by far.
