The Justice Department has issued a subpoenae Sen. Ruben Gallego’s (D-AZ) leadership PAC as part of a federal probe into his use of campaign funds to pay for an exorbitant luxury lifestyle, according to a copy of the subpoena that was obtained by news outlet Politico. The DOJ issued a federal grand jury subpoena on August 21, 2026 to Gallego’s Juntos PAC.
The subpoena demanded that the PAC provide information concerning “activities on or about” September 9, 2025, along with records and statements Gallego submitted to the Senate Ethics Committee that were connected to its investigation into allegations of misuse of campaign funds, which the panel had dismissed in June.
A spokesperson for Gallego, Jacques Petit, went on to say the “leadership PAC has complied with and responded to the Trump DOJ subpoena because it has nothing to hide.” Petit did not provide answers for questions that were asked about Gallego himself, his family, or any other staff or campaign agents who had been subpoenaed.
The investigation into the PAC after a “whistleblower complaint” came from Southern California just a few days after Politico reported that Gallego had used campaign funds as his own personal slush fund. The accusations include using campaign money to pay for trips to St. Barts, Miami, Chicago, Disneyland, and Disney World with his family. Over $18,000 in reimbursements for child care, and on top of that, extremely expensive Super Bowl tickets with now disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
According to a report from Politico, records from the Federal Election Commission revealed that Juntos PAC made over 20 disbursements on September 9, 2025, that paid for charges related to a trip to Disneyland. Two of the charges connected with that trip include one to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel for $891.87 and 128.73, with over a dozen charges for food.
The subpoena came from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who is deeply committed to President Donald Trump and who continues to be the area’s top federal prosecutor. This comes despite several federal rulings declaring he is illegally serving due to not having Senate confirmation.
Essayli and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California did not issue a response despite several requests to comment on the situation. However, Gallego’s office did confirm that the senator and his family attended a retreat that was hosted by Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) at Disneyland and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. This event included 16 Democratic members of Congress and 36 representatives from leading companies.
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The report then revealed that it is highly unusual for lawmakers to rely so heavily on campaign funds to pay for family vacations and luxury resorts. In a public statement from June, Gallego seemingly suggested that he was being targeted for “fundraising as all politicians do, but doing it as the father of children under 10.”
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