The Senate Ethics Committee has cleared Sen. Ruben Gallego of misconduct allegations, concluding a months-long investigation that stemmed from accusations leveled by a Florida Republican.
In a letter dated June 26 and obtained by NBC News, the six-member panel found no evidence supporting the complaints filed by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. The allegations centered on campaign finance violations and inappropriate sexual conduct.
Gallego's office said the senator fully cooperated with the investigation. The committee requested additional information from him twice, on April 17 and May 15, and examined campaign and congressional expenditure records before reaching its conclusion.
The Arizona Democrat responded to the dismissal on Monday, framing the allegations as political attacks. "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," Gallego said in a statement. He added that he would continue advocating for Arizona voters while holding Republicans accountable on economic and foreign policy issues.
Luna made the accusations public in April after reports emerged alleging that then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and Gallego's friend, had sexually assaulted and harassed multiple women. Swalwell resigned from Congress and apologized for "mistakes in judgment," though he denied some of the allegations. Gallego denied any knowledge of Swalwell's conduct, claiming he had been "lied to."
Luna posted on social media that she had heard from four women with accounts of uncomfortable interactions with Gallego, including unwanted advances and touching. Those complaints were referred to the ethics panel for investigation. The committee said it considered the complaint, statements from individuals mentioned in it, and related documents before concluding there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
Gallego established a legal defense fund last month to cover investigation costs and said Monday he would maintain it to pay outstanding legal fees.
The committee noted it retains the authority to revisit the matter if new information emerges and thanked Gallego for his cooperation throughout the review.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The ethics committee's dismissal is a significant win for Gallego, but it won't silence Luna or the far-right media machine that drove this story."
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