Senate Ethics Committee dismisses complaint against Sen. Ruben Gallego

The Senate Ethics Committee has dismissed a misconduct complaint against Sen. Ruben Gallego after investigating allegations brought by another lawmaker, the panel wrote in a letter released by the Arizona Democrat’s office.

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The letter, dated June 26, states that the GOP-led panel’s probe found no evidence that Gallego “violated Federal law, Senate Rules, or related standards of conduct,” after probing accusations relayed to the committee by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida. The letter was first reported by NBC News on Monday.

Luna sent the staff of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., information in April about allegations about Gallego that were “sexual in nature,” she said on CBS at the time. Luna’s allegations, which she never specified, followed reports that then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who was Gallego’s friend, faced allegations of sexual assault and harassment. The letter states that her complaint also alleged unspecified campaign finance violations. (Politico recently reported that Gallego used campaign funds for luxury outings with his wife, and childcare. The lawmaker denied any wrongdoing, noting that the Federal Election Commission permits such expenses as long as they are not for “personal use.”)

The committee’s probe included looking at FEC and expenditure reports, as well as information Gallego provided to the committee himself, the letter states. The panel, led by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the chair, and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., the vice chair, wrote that Gallego provided “full cooperation” with the committee’s investigation.