Senate Ethics Committee dismisses misconduct complaint against Ruben Gallego

WASHINGTON — The Senate Ethics Committee has dismissed allegations of misconduct by Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., after an investigation.

In a letter obtained by NBC News, the six committee members, led by Chair James Lankford, R-Okla., and Vice Chair Chris Coons, D-Del., said the panel “did not find evidence” for the specific allegations Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., gave the committee.

“We are writing to inform you that the Select Committee on Ethics (the Committee) dismissed a complaint filed against you by Representative Anna Paulina Luna,” the senators wrote in a letter to Gallego.

The letter, dated Friday, was provided by a source familiar with the investigation and has not previously been reported.

“Specifically, the complaint alleged campaign finance violations and inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature. In response to your request for an investigation, the Committee referred these allegations to you and requested additional information on April 17 and May 15, 2026. Based on the investigation of the Committee, the Committee did not find evidence that your actions violated Federal law, Senate Rules or related standards of conduct.”

The committee said it considered information in the complaint, statements by people identified in it and campaign and congressional office expenditure reports.

The panel also “appreciated” Gallego’s “cooperation” throughout the probe, the letter said, adding that it “retains the authority to revisit this matter should additional facts become known” to it.

Gallego, who has been engaging with the committee investigation, set up a legal defense fund last month to help pay the fees.

His office said Monday that he is maintaining the fund for outstanding legal fees.

Luna voiced her allegations publicly after news organizations reported allegations that Gallego’s friend, then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., sexually assaulted and harassed multiple women. Swalwell, who resigned from Congress and apologized for “mistakes in judgment,” has also denied at least some of the allegations he faced.

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Gallego has denied knowledge of those instances and said he was “lied to.”

Amid the Swalwell fallout, Luna wrote on X on April 23: “I have now heard of 4 women who have had multiple and uncomfortable/inappropriate advances/comments/touching, etc. from Senator Gallego. This is not made up and the Senate is being awfully quiet about it.”

Her complaints were referred to the Ethics Committee.

Gallego responded Monday to the committee’s letter.

“Today’s 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 said in a statement. “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. In the meantime, I will continue fighting for Arizonans and holding Trump Republicans accountable for high costs and new wars.”

After this article was published, Luna replied to Gallego’s comments on X — and did not apologize.

“These are not conspiracy theories. You’re a gross example of representation,” she wrote, before she referred to the breakup of Gallego’s first marriage. “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.”