The Senate Ethics Committee found nothing. In a letter to Sen. Ruben Gallego dated June 26, the panel wrote that it “did not find evidence that your actions violated Federal law, Senate rules, or related standards of conduct.”
The complaint against the Arizona Democrat covered allegations of campaign finance violations and potential sexual misconduct. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., brought it to the committee in April. The committee also thanked Gallego for his “full cooperation” during the investigation.
Gallego took the result as vindication. In a statement, he said 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.” He added, “I look forward to an apology from Rep. Luna for weaponizing the ethics process while refusing to investigate historic corruption that’s making life harder for families.”
How it started
The talk about Gallego began in April, after Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., resigned amid a wave of sexual assault and misconduct allegations. NPR has not independently verified those allegations, and Swalwell has adamantly denied them.
The two men were close. Gallego served as chair of Swalwell’s short-lived 2020 presidential campaign. After the resignation, Gallego said he knew nothing of any history of sexual misconduct, but he told reporters the friendship may have made it hard to accept the rumors. “My friendship with him, our family’s friendship together with him, clouded my judgment, and I was wrong,” he said. “I deeply, deeply regret that.”
Within days, Luna posted a cryptic message on social media. “It’s seems like the Senate has its own trash to take out,” she wrote, tagging John Thune’s account. “You need to look into the allegations against one of your Senators, it’s very disturbing. My chief will be contacting your chief.” The next day she told CBS News she meant Gallego.
Luna does not back down
The dismissal did not end it. On Monday, Luna answered Gallego on social media. “These are not conspiracy theories,” she wrote. “The good news about DC is everyone talks, and eventually the reporters come forward with your texts.”
The Swalwell allegations set off a fresh reckoning in Congress over the conduct of some male members, roughly 10 years after the #MeToo movement. Shortly after Swalwell stepped down, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned too. He had previously admitted to an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide.
