Sen. Ruben Gallego Faces Probe Over Family Flights Paid With Donor Money
New records show Sen. Ruben Gallego billed his campaign for flights his sister-in-law and an au pair took to Washington. The costs came to $1,227 for the sister-in-law and $777.91 for the Brazilian au pair in late 2024. These trips happened just before his swearing-in in January 2025. The Justice Department is already looking into […]
New records show Sen. Ruben Gallego billed his campaign for flights his sister-in-law and an au pair took to Washington. The costs came to $1,227 for the sister-in-law and $777.91 for the Brazilian au pair in late 2024. These trips happened just before his swearing-in in January 2025. The Justice Department is already looking into how the senator used donor money.
Gallego’s office says these flights were for child care needs. They also spent $661.51 on custom stationery to announce his daughter’s birth in July 2023. Donors and supporters received the birth announcements as a gesture of thanks and to maintain engagement with then-Congressman Gallego’s campaign, his team asserts.
These new details arrive two months after reports revealed Gallego spent tens of thousands on family trips. Previous stories covered visits to Disney World, Disneyland, and exclusive islands like St. Barts. They also included a trip to the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona. The Times reported his wife used a campaign SUV for personal errands.
A source familiar with the case told The New York Post that these new expenses could strengthen the case against him. A grand jury would find a narrative of family members systematically benefiting more chargeable and presentable than isolated trips, the person noted. The source identified additional relatives who obtained benefits: “Mother-in-law (childcare payments), sister-in-law (flights), au pair (flights), spouse (18 flights, the car). This completes the set.”
A campaign finance attorney told The Post that the sister-in-law’s trip to DC is the “fishiest” expense. The reason for her travel remains unclear. While the investigation is in early stages, the pattern of spending is drawing more attention. The source remarked that all of those new examples would potentially raise issues.
Despite the growing list of expenses, one legal expert warned against jumping to conclusions. The attorney stated that ultimately, a crime must exist. A different legal expert provided a measured perspective: “My gut sense would be, ‘Yeah, there’s a little smoke there, and it may be worth investigating.” Nevertheless, I would hesitate to immediately begin shouting ‘fire’ The investigation continues as more details come to light.