A Senate Committee Cleared Ruben Gallego Of Campaign Finance Violations. The DOJ Is Investigating Him Still.
Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego faces a Department of Justice probe into campaign finance violations despite having been cleared earlier by a Senate committee that reviewed his expenditures, according to a new report.
Axios detailed that the investigation originated from a “whistleblower complaint” from Southern California and could weigh on Gallego’s political future as he eyes a potential 2028 presidential run and highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic lawmakers.
The investigation comes after the Senate Ethics Committee concluded a separate investigation into Gallego that found there was no evidence of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations.
A letter obtained by NBC News states that the six-member Ethics Committee, led by Chair James Lankford, R-Okla., and Vice Chair Chris Coons, D-Del., “did not find evidence” to support the allegations that were made by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., against Gallego.
In reaching its conclusion, the letter stated that the panel “appreciated” Gallego’s cooperation and reserved the right to revisit the matter if new facts emerge.
Axios did not provide details regarding the DOJ investigation. Gallego’s team has called the probe politically motivated, citing the Trump administration’s pattern of targeting political opponents.
Gallego was previously under scrutiny related to PAC-funded family trips to Disney parks, Miami and Chicago. The New York Times reported that Gallego’s campaign filings show he brought his family to vacation destinations and billed tens of thousands of dollars in flights to campaign accounts in 2025 alone.
Time noted that Gallego is one of the least wealthy senators, with liabilities and debts exceeding his assets, according to financial disclosures. Gallego has said that he sometimes brings his family on fundraising trips because he cannot afford separate childcare while he is campaigning. He has defended the expenditures as part of the legitimate cost of fundraising.
Luna’s ethics complaint drew on news reports such as the New York Times’ earlier this year that examined Gallego’s campaign and leadership PAC spending on family travel. However, after reviewing Gallego’s expenditures and justifications, the Ethics Committee rejected the core accusations.
“[The] dismissal reaffirms what I have said about these accusations from the beginning: they were right-wing conspiracies peddled by far-right activists like Anna Paulina Luna, the White House, and their allies,” Gallego said in a statement earlier this week, adding that he would “continue fighting for Arizonans and holding Trump Republicans accountable for high costs and new wars.”
Luna did not apologize. “These are not conspiracy theories. You’re a gross example of representation. Need I mention you leaving your pregnant wife during your Campaign for Senate?” she wrote on X. “There are plenty of people who know about your antics. The good news about DC is everyone talks, and eventually the reporters come forward with your texts. Do yourself a favor and keep raising for your legal defense fund. Once a creep always a creep, and you’re gonna need it.”
