Sen. Ruben Gallego used PAC funds for luxurious Caribbean, Disney journeys

Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who was a key ally of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, used marketing campaign money to fund luxurious journeys together with his household and to cowl his childcare bills, in line with marketing campaign finance filings and a supply accustomed to his funds.

Gallego, by means of his management PAC, has paid for journeys to the Caribbean island getaway of Saint Barthélemy, Disneyland, Disney World, Miami and Chicago, finance filings present. A supply accustomed to Gallego’s spending instructed Politico that the lawmaker would usually deliver his household alongside for the luxurious jaunts, and use donor money to pay for babysitting companies.

“He just spends his campaign account like it’s his personal slush fund,” the supply mentioned. “He’s using campaign cash to live a luxury lifestyle.”

Campaign finance data present that Gallego’s management PAC and his marketing campaign have collectively paid over $18,000 to cowl childcare prices, together with a $400 fee to his spouse’s mom.

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“This is not breaking news,” he instructed Politco of bills for childcare and household journey. “With the rising costs of childcare 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.”

In one marketing campaign expense, Gallego and Swalwell established a joint fundraising committee that they then used to pay for tickets to observe Super Bowl LVII in 2023. The occasion, which value over $37,000, was billed as a fundraising operation the place they recruited donors to attend the sport and have brunch with them in trade for a sufficiently excessive marketing campaign contribution. 

The duo of lawmakers every profited slightly below $8,000 from the occasion, successfully shuttering the joint committee after the sport.

A Gallego spokesperson instructed Politico that the “tickets were purchased at fair market value” and that “hosting donors and supporters at sporting events in their areas is a common, bipartisan practice.”

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The supply accustomed to Gallego’s funds instructed Politico that the journey to Saint Barthélemy was for his spouse’s boss’ birthday and that the journey to Miami, the place he racked up $9,000 in fees at a beachfront lodge, was to commemorate his spouse’s birthday.

A Gallego spokesperson defined to Politico that the journey to Saint Barthélemy was a part of “a multi-stop political and fundraising swing — as senators regularly do,” and that on the Miami journey the senator and his spouse “attended several widely attended political events and fundraisers.”

Federal lawmakers are barred from utilizing funds donated to their main marketing campaign committees for “personal use,” or bills that aren’t associated to their campaigns for workplace. Leadership PACs, nonetheless, are held to a looser customary whereby expenditures are allowed as long as they serve some type of fundraising goal.

There is nothing that implies any of Gallego’s management PAC expenditures have been made unlawfully.

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Gallego is way from the one legislator to make use of his management PAC on this means, with many lawmakers utilizing their committees to fund expensive journeys to unique areas.

Transparency advocates have argued that the permissive spending guidelines surrounding how politicians can use funds donated by management PACs permit company pursuits to extra simply accrue affect with lawmakers by contributing to what’s successfully an account for his or her luxurious bills. About half of the donations to Gallego’s management PAC have come from company sources, in line with marketing campaign finance data. 

Gallego is reportedly exploring a 2028 presidential run, with many seeing him as a progressive with important crossover enchantment following his 2024 Arizona Senate victory. Some within the senator’s interior circle, nonetheless, have doubts that he may make it by means of vetting, in line with the supply who spoke with Politico.

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His longtime friendship with Swalwell, who suspended his marketing campaign for California governor and resigned from Congress following a number of allegations of sexual assault, is seen as one potential vulnerability. Additionally, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has pressed the Senate to research Gallego over alleged sexual misconduct and marketing campaign finance infractions. 

The senator has dismissed the allegations. IRS data present that he established a authorized protection fund final month.

“Any person close to Gallego would know that he is one of the most vetted candidates after his tough 2024 campaign where millions of dollars were spent against him,” Jacques Petit, Gallego’s communications director, instructed Politico. “Despite that, he overperformed the top of the ticket. Now he is focused on delivering for Arizonans and electing Democrats in 2026.”

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Gallego didn’t reply to a request for remark when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.