DOJ probes Dem Senator Ruben Gallego after Ethics Committee clears him

An embattled Democrat Senator from Arizona is facing a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation after allegedly using campaign donations to fund lavish vacations with his family.

A source familiar with the investigation confirmed to Fox News Digital that Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is subject to the probe for potential violations of campaign finance laws.

A week ago, Politico reported that Gallego used campaign money on family trips to Miami, Saint Barthélemy, Disneyland, Disney World and Chicago. He also used funds to attend the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona, but the senator insisted that the tickets were a legitimate campaign fundraising expense.

The report last week also said that the senator, who was just cleared Monday by the Senate Ethics Committee after a complaint about the alleged campaign finance violations and suspected sexual misconduct, also used $18,000 in funds from his leadership PAC to reimburse himself for childcare costs.

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Gallego brushed off the allegations in the Politico story.

“This is not breaking news,” he reportedly told the outlet. “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.”

Monday afternoon, after the ethics complaints were dismissed, Gallego said they were merely “right-wing conspiracies peddled by far-right activists,” according to NPR.

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Less than a day after he was cleared by Congress, the DOJ investigation was revealed.

Fox News Digital reached out to Gallego’s office for comment.

Gallego was close friends with disgraced former Democratic lawmaker Eric Swalwell of California, who was forced to resign from Congress following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against him, including claims of rape and sexual assault. 

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Swalwell admitted to making “mistakes,” but denied the allegations of criminal behavior.

The former congressman, who was running for governor of California at the time of his undoing, attended the 2023 Super Bowl with Gallego.