Ruben Gallego, known for his fiery rhetoric and blue-collar roots, now finds himself embroiled in a personal scandal, with many questioning his integrity. Questions surrounding Gallego’s divorce from his then-wife, Kate Gallego, just weeks before the birth of their son raised eyebrows among supporters and critics alike. But the real bombshell occurred this week when records emerged showing Gallego lied about the date of his remarriage to real estate lobbyist Sydney Barron. The timing not only misled the public but also suggests that Gallego actively sought to cover up the actual timeline.

The proximity of events—the divorce, the birth of his son, and the hasty remarriage—created a whirlwind of speculation for the self-styled champion of working-class values. It wasn’t just the optics of divorcing a pregnant wife – many questioned his marriage to someone so deeply entrenched in the world of corporate lobbying, especially since he so frequently railed against similar “contradictions” by other politicians.

In a move critics call “unusual and suspicious,” Gallego appears to have lobbied to seal his divorce records, which is rare in Arizona. Given Gallego’s outspoken calls for government transparency and loud opposition to politician involvement with special interests, his decision to hide his divorce details is amplifying suspicion. Gallego’s efforts to shield his personal life from scrutiny in a political climate that demands accountability have sparked even more questions.

Despite his public announcement of their marriage in June 2021, marriage records reveal that Gallego married Barron more than a year and a half earlier, in December 2019. The Free Beacon reported, “Gallego’s deception extended well beyond his engagement announcement.” Although publicly released wedding photos suggested the couple held their wedding in Puerto Rico, the official marriage had already taken place in D.C. Gallego has failed to explain why he misled the public. Some speculate that his divorce records may shed light on his motives, which may explain his desire to keep the records sealed. The Beacon is still in litigation to obtain access to the divorce records.

In an exclusive statement, Republican Senate nominee Kari Lake told the Arizona Globe, “Whether it be working at a company investigated for committing medicare fraud, defrauding immigrants at a bank, egregiously violating the Stock Act, to now, very publicly, lying about the timeline AND circumstances between his controversial divorce to his nine-month pregnant wife and second marriage to a lobbyist… Gallego is a con man, and his run for Senate is another swindle.”