DOJ Investigates Gallego Over $37,500 in Campaign Spending as Senate Panel Clears Him
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 30
DOJ Investigates Gallego Over $37,500 in Campaign Spending as Senate Panel Clears Him
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 30
Summary
The Justice Department is investigating Senator Ruben Gallego over alleged campaign finance violations tied to his use of donor funds, days after reports detailed the spending.
POLITICO said Gallego used campaign money for child care, family trips to Miami, Chicago, Disneyland and Disney World, and $37,500 in Super Bowl tickets through a joint committee with former Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Gallego has defended the practice, saying he sometimes brings his wife and children to fundraisers and that campaign dollars for child care made his Senate run possible.
The probe surfaced just after the Senate Ethics Committee dismissed separate allegations from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, saying it did not find evidence of campaign finance violations or inappropriate sexual conduct.
The case lands in a gray area of federal campaign rules, which give lawmakers broad latitude to use donor funds if they can claim a campaign or fundraising purpose.