Justice Department Subpoenas Sen. Ruben Gallego’s PAC
The Justice Department has issued a subpoena to Senator Ruben Gallego’s (D-AZ) leadership PAC as part of an inquiry into how the Arizona Democrat allocated campaign funds, according to documents obtained.
The grand jury subpoena was sent on August 21 to Gallego’s Juntos PAC. This request, which hadn’t been previously reported, sought documents regarding activities dated around September 9, 2025. Additionally, it required statements Gallego had given to the Senate Ethics Committee during its own investigation into fund misuse, an investigation that concluded in June.
A spokesperson for the senator indicated that the PAC had responded fully to the requests.
“The PAC has complied with and responded to the subpoena issued by the Trump DOJ because it believes there’s nothing to conceal,” spokesman Jacques Petit mentioned. However, he did not clarify whether Gallego, his family, or staff members were also subpoenaed.
The subpoena indicates that it pertains to an ongoing criminal investigation and that the obtained records would be presented to a grand jury. The response deadline was set for September 4.
The investigation emerged from reports detailing how the senator utilized donor contributions. Previous analyses documented several family trips, including visits to Disneyland, Disney World, Miami, and Chicago, along with more than $18,000 in childcare reimbursements dating back to 2019, which included $400 to his mother-in-law. One commentator described the spending as akin to a “personal slush fund.”
This inquiry also connects to former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA). The pair had set up a joint committee known as the “Swallego Victory Fund” in October 2022, which they later used to purchase Super Bowl LVII tickets in Glendale, Arizona. Reports suggest that the fund exhausted over $37,000 on tickets and dining before its dissolution, with around $7,600 being funneled to each of their campaigns.
Swalwell left Congress in April, stepping back from a gubernatorial bid amid multiple allegations of misconduct, which he has denied.
This subpoena adds to prior reports indicating that federal prosecutors took action immediately after the Ethics Committee closed its investigation—a situation the senator’s office described as politically driven. The complaint that led to the Senate ethics inquiry was filed by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL).
