WASHINGTON — Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego is facing renewed scrutiny after a report alleged he had consensual sexual relationships with at least two congressional aides while serving in the U.S. House, adding to political fallout surrounding his close relationship with disgraced former California Congressman Eric Swalwell.
The New York Post clarified Thursday that the two women worked for Texas Democrats, not for Gallego directly. One unnamed source claimed Gallego acknowledged both relationships, while additional sources reportedly corroborated at least part of the account. The newspaper said the relationships were consensual and were believed to have occurred after Gallego divorced his 9-months-pregnant wife. One of the women was reportedly in her 20s, substantially younger than Gallego. However, neither woman has yet publicly accused Gallego of harassment or assault in connection with the reported relationships.
When asked on Capitol Hill whether the reporting was accurate, Gallego declined to issue a direct denial. “I’m not going to engage in gossip,” Gallego told an NBC News reporter. When pressed again, he repeated the answer.
Gallego’s office and the two women did not respond to the Post’s requests for comment. The Arizona Globe has not independently confirmed the relationships.
The latest disclosures are drawing greater attention because of Gallego’s extensive political and personal connections to Swalwell, who resigned from Congress in April following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. Swalwell has denied all allegations against him. Gallego repeatedly described Swalwell as one of his closest friends in Congress and as the chair of the California Democrats’ unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign. He later endorsed Swalwell’s 2026 campaign for California governor.
The two lawmakers also established a joint fundraising committee. Federal Election Commission records reviewed by CBS News show that the committee spent more than $37,000 on tickets and meals connected to the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale. Gallego’s team said the event was a legitimate fundraiser that brought in approximately $55,000 before expenses and distributions to the two men’s campaigns.
When allegations against Swalwell became public, Gallego initially defended his friend, but withdrew his endorsement as sentiment against Swalwell mounted. He later joined the symphony of those calling for Swalwell’s expulsion from Congress, ultimately declaring that the California lawmaker was “no longer fit” to serve.
Following Swalwell’s resignation, Gallego held an emotional Capitol Hill news conference in which he acknowledged hearing longstanding rumors that Swalwell was “flirty” with women. Gallego said he trusted his friend’s denials and allowed that friendship to cloud his judgment.
“I messed up. I’m human. I trusted this man,” Gallego said, according to Associated Press reporting.
Gallego also described Swalwell as a skilled liar who had led a double life. The admission raised questions about what Gallego knew, given that he was Swalwell’s campaign chairman, political partner, and close friend.
The Swalwell scandal directly contributed to the earlier ethics scrutiny of Gallego. Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna alleged that a woman was preparing to describe an incident involving both men that was “sexual in nature.” She also claimed other women had experienced inappropriate comments, touching, or advances from Gallego. Luna presented no public evidence to substantiate those claims, and CBS News said it could not independently verify them.
Gallego denied engaging in any sexual misconduct and called Luna’s allegations “right-wing conspiracy theories.”
The bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee subsequently dismissed the complaint. In a June 26 letter, the committee said it found no evidence that Gallego violated federal law, Senate rules, or other standards of conduct. The committee added that it retains authority to revisit the matter if new information emerges. It is unclear whether the committee was aware of the two staffer relationships described by the Post. The committee’s public letter did not detail every allegation it examined.
The distinction between Gallego’s own employees and aides working for other lawmakers will likely be significant. House Rule 23 bars representatives from sexual relationships with employees they supervise or staff members of committees on which they serve. Based on the available reporting, neither woman worked directly for Gallego, and the relationships alone do not establish a rules violation.
The controversy has nevertheless generated sensationalized chatter on X.
After the previous ethics complaint was dismissed, Luna warned Gallego that “plenty of people know about your antics,” adding, “Once a creep always a creep.” Cronkite News documented the exchange.
Independent commentator Breanna Morello reacted to Thursday’s report by calling Gallego a “total scumbag” and invoking his 2016 divorce from then-pregnant Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. The remark appeared on Morello’s public X feed but offered no additional evidence concerning the reported staffer relationships.
Conservative influencer Nick Sortor previously claimed Gallego “might be the next to go” and demanded that Gallego and Swalwell be locked up over their campaign expenditures. Gallego has not been charged with a campaign-finance crime, making Sortor’s characterization political commentary rather than an established legal finding.
Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a longtime Gallego adversary, has called for a criminal investigation into the former political partners. “If Senator Gallego is guilty of misconduct, he must resign immediately,” Arpaio wrote on X.
No current member of Congress had issued a verified demand for Gallego’s resignation based solely on Thursday’s report as of publication.
The controversy also threatens Gallego’s national ambitions. Axios reported that Gallego hired former Biden White House spokesman Andrew Bates to help manage crisis communications involving the Swalwell fallout and ethics proceedings. Gallego has been widely discussed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
Separately, the Justice Department is examining Gallego’s use of campaign money for family travel, childcare, Disney trips, and other expenses. Gallego has not been charged and reportedly has not been contacted by investigators.
Gallego has defended the expenditures by saying he is “not a millionaire” and has a blended family, arguing that campaign money may legally cover travel, fundraising, and qualifying childcare expenses. KJZZ reported his response.
The combination of the staffer report, his relationship with Swalwell, the campaign-finance investigation, and increasingly hostile online reaction could complicate Gallego’s effort to move from a freshman senator to a national Democratic contender.
The chatter on X has been increasingly brutal, with numerous posts questioning how many such relationships Gallego had with staffers and suggesting they may not have been solely with females. The increasingly hostile online scrutiny is intensifying, raising questions about Gallego’s chances of becoming a leading voice in the tumultuous Democratic Party.