Arizona Senator’s Unusual Campaign Spending Includes Disney Trips and Family Childcare

Clear Facts

• Senator Ruben Gallego used campaign funds from a joint account with Eric Swalwell to attend Super Bowl LVII in 2023
• Campaign finance records show withdrawals exceeding $18,000 for child care expenses since 2019, including a $400 payment to his mother-in-law
• Gallego hired former Biden deputy press secretary Andrew Bates to manage crisis communications ahead of potential Senate Ethics Committee scrutiny

Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego is facing questions about his use of campaign donor funds for personal expenses, including family trips to Disney theme parks and Super Bowl tickets purchased through a joint campaign account he shared with California Representative Eric Swalwell.

Campaign finance records reveal a pattern of questionable spending that has drawn attention from ethics watchdogs. Since 2019, Gallego has withdrawn more than $18,000 from campaign accounts for child care-related expenses, including at least one $400 payment directly to his mother-in-law for babysitting services.

The spending extends beyond child care. Records show Gallego used money from his leadership PAC to fund personal travel to Disneyland, Disney World, Chicago, and Miami. In 2023, he attended Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, with tickets paid for using funds from a joint campaign account he maintained with Swalwell.

Swalwell himself became a national controversy after revelations of his relationship with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang. The California congressman’s ties to foreign intelligence operations raised serious national security concerns that continue to follow him.

Gallego defended the expenditures in a prepared statement, attempting to frame the issue as routine congressional practice.

“This is not breaking news. With the rising costs of child care and the burden it has on the budgets of American families, Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the White House alike regularly travel with their wives and children, as is permitted by the FEC.”

However, Federal Election Commission rules specify that campaign funds may only cover expenses directly related to campaign activities. Personal expenses that would exist regardless of whether a campaign is underway do not qualify for reimbursement, according to FEC guidelines.

The timing of these revelations appears particularly problematic for Gallego, who is reportedly positioning himself for a potential 2028 presidential run. Anticipating scrutiny, he recently brought on Andrew Bates, who served as deputy press secretary under former President Joe Biden, to handle crisis communications.

Bates has been tasked with managing two primary concerns: Gallego’s long-standing friendship and former roommate relationship with Swalwell, and potential interactions with the Senate Ethics Committee regarding campaign finance practices. Those interactions, according to sources familiar with the matter, may be imminent.

The joint campaign account with Swalwell presents particular complications as Gallego attempts to distance himself from the controversial California congressman ahead of higher office aspirations. The financial intertwining of their campaigns makes such separation difficult to achieve credibly.

For American taxpayers and campaign donors, the revelations raise fundamental questions about accountability and the proper use of political contributions. When citizens donate to political campaigns, they expect those funds to support legitimate campaign activities, not subsidize personal entertainment and family vacations.

The Senate Ethics Committee has broad authority to investigate potential violations of campaign finance law and Senate rules governing the conduct of members. Whether Gallego’s spending patterns will trigger a formal investigation remains to be seen, but the hiring of a crisis communications specialist suggests the senator’s team is preparing for that possibility.

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