The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., over campaign spending tied to luxury outings and family travel that were paid for with campaign donations, according to reports confirmed by the New York Post.
The investigation centers on potential campaign finance violations and follows a whistleblower complaint originating in Southern California. Axios first reported the existence of the federal investigation.
News of the DOJ probe emerged only hours after the Senate Ethics Committee rejected a complaint against Gallego that alleged campaign finance violations and sexual misconduct.
A spokesperson for Gallego criticized the investigation in a statement provided to Axios.
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“[President] Trump is targeting Senator Gallego while the most weaponized Department of Justice in history is turning a blind eye to Trump’s unprecedented corruption,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added, “It’s the least surprising news of the week that this comes immediately after the Senate Ethics Committee cleared Senator Gallego of right-wing smears pushed by the administration.”
Gallego has denied violating campaign finance laws.
The scrutiny follows reporting last week by Politico detailing campaign expenditures that included Super Bowl tickets, family travel, childcare expenses, and other trips funded through campaign accounts.
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According to Politico, Gallego used a joint campaign committee known as the "Swallego Victory Fund," created with former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., in October 2022, to attend Super Bowl LVII in Arizona with his wife in 2023.
The fundraising committee reportedly hosted an event during the Super Bowl and spent more than $37,000 on game tickets and meals connected to the event.
Federal Election Commission records cited in the report also show that Gallego spent approximately $18,000 from campaign and political action committee funds on childcare beginning in 2019.
Among those expenses was a $400 payment to his mother-in-law for babysitting services.
Gallego addressed those childcare expenditures last week in a post on X, noting that "the FEC has stated that childcare may be reimbursed."
Campaign finance records also show spending connected to family trips to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, where Gallego participated in political action committee retreats.
According to the records, lodging for the Disneyland trip totaled nearly $1,500, excluding airfare.
Additional campaign-funded travel listed in disclosure records included trips with family members to St. Barts, Miami, and Chicago.
Politico also cited an unnamed source familiar with Gallego's campaign spending.
“He just spends his campaign account like it’s his personal slush fund,” the source said.
“He’s using campaign cash to live a luxury lifestyle.”
The DOJ investigation stems from a whistleblower complaint filed in Southern California alleging potential campaign finance violations.
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Federal authorities have not publicly disclosed additional details regarding the scope of the investigation or whether any charges are being considered.
Neither the Department of Justice nor Gallego's Senate office immediately responded to requests for comment from the New York Post following reports that the investigation had been launched.
Gallego, who represents Arizona in the U.S. Senate, has consistently maintained that his campaign expenditures complied with applicable election laws and regulations.
Let me clear the air on some of these stories swirling around. The FEC has stated that childcare may be reimbursed. There is a simple reason: we want Congress to look like America. Not just people without children, those with grown children, or those from wealthy backgrounds. It…
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) June 22, 2026
The Justice Department investigation now places additional attention on campaign spending that has already received scrutiny following recent reports detailing expenditures for sporting events, travel, childcare, and political fundraising activities.
At this stage, no criminal charges have been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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