Scoop: Gallego met with Ethics after GOP lawmaker accused him of misconduct
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Sen. Ruben Gallego arrives at a news conference on the Epstein Files on Feb. 26. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) proactively met in person with Senate Ethics Committee staff on Friday, Axios has learned.
- The meeting occurred the day after Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) publicly accused Gallego of sexual misconduct based on another woman's account, allegations Gallego denies.
Why it matters: It comes at a moment of renewed scrutiny over sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill after two other lawmakers resigned from Congress over sexual assault and misconduct allegations last week.
- Gallego initiated the meeting, his office told Axios, despite not having received formal notice of an Ethics Committee investigation. "We proactively reached out to them and told them we will comply and give everything," Gallego told reporters Monday.
- Luna posted on X Wednesday: "it seems like the Senate has its own trash to take out. @LeaderJohnThune You need to look into the allegations against one of your Senators, it's very disturbing." She said in a CBS News interview Thursday evening that she was referencing Gallego.
- Gallego has publicly acknowledged that he was close friends with Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress April 14 after being accused by four women of sexual assault, harassment and rape, all of which he denies.
Driving the news: Luna told CBS News on Thursday that the allegations against Gallego are "sexual in nature" and also involve campaign finance violations.
- Luna told CBS News, without providing further details or evidence, "There is a woman that allegedly is coming forward with attorneys, wants to go on-record about an incident that occurred between the two of them at the same time, and the event was sexual in nature, allegedly," referencing Swalwell and Gallego.
- Luna said Majority Leader John Thune's (R-S.D.) office told her the allegations are being investigated by the Ethics Committee. Thune's office referred Axios' questions to the Ethics Committee.
Gallego has denied any personal wrongdoing and said he had no knowledge of any wrongdoing on Swalwell's part, only acknowledging that he had heard rumors about Swalwell being "flirty" over the years of their friendship.
- A spokesperson for Gallego, who declined to be identified to speak about a sensitive topic, said: "These are right wing conspiracy theories being parroted by a fringe far right member of Congress."
- In a 30-minute press gaggle April 14, Gallego, who is married, stated that he has never engaged in any inappropriate sexual misconduct toward his staff, other staff, or any women.
- He told reporters that he never heard of or witnessed any conduct by Swalwell that constituted sexual harassment or assault and said that Swalwell lied to and "manipulated" him over the course of their friendship.
The bottom line: Congressional Ethics investigations typically take months, if not years, to complete.
