Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., has defended his campaign-funded travel and fundraising events, arguing that trips to the Super Bowl and Miami were legitimate efforts to raise money for his political operation.
In response to criticism surrounding expenditures, Gallego told Fox News Digital, "You have to go where the money is to raise money." He used his leadership PAC to pay for a variety of luxurious trips, including visits to Miami, Saint Barthélemy, Disneyland, Disney World, and Chicago, according to financial filings.
A source familiar with Gallego's spending said the senator often used campaign cash to bring his family on these vacations and used donor cash to fund babysitting services for his children.
Federal Election Commission records show Gallego using a joint fundraising committee with former Rep. Eric Swalwell to fund tickets for him and his wife to attend the 2023 Super Bowl. The event was held in Arizona, where Gallego represents, and was touted as a fundraiser for his election in 2023.
The Super Bowl event cost over $37,000, with both lawmakers receiving roughly $8,000 each. A Gallego spokesperson said the "tickets were purchased at fair market value" and that "hosting donors and supporters at sporting events in their areas is a common, bipartisan practice."
The Arizona Democrat also used PAC money for a trip to Miami that coincided with his wife's birthday. The couple charged over $9,000 in expenses at the Loews hotel on Miami Beach. Gallego claimed that the trip raised about $50,000 in their nine events in Miami.
Gallego's spokesperson said the Gallegos "attended several widely attended political events and fundraisers" on their trip to Miami, but did not specify any specific numbers nor address the birthday aspect of the trip.
