Arizona Senator Gallego Creates Legal Defense Fund

Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona has established a formal legal defense fund amid public allegations of misconduct made by a House Republican. The fund was created on May 22, according to an Internal Revenue Service filing, which identifies the organization as the Senator Ruben Gallego Legal Defense Fund, a U.S. Senate legal expense trust.

The move follows allegations first raised in April by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican. Luna initially stated an unnamed senator was facing "very disturbing" allegations before identifying Gallego in a subsequent interview. She claimed the allegations included matters of a sexual nature and potential campaign finance violations. CBS News reported at the time that it had not verified the allegations.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune referred the matter to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. A spokesperson for Gallego stated the fund was established specifically as a result of Lunas ethics filing. The senator's office has consistently denied wrongdoing, characterizing the allegations as "right-wing conspiracy theories" and attacks from political opponents.

The creation of the fund places the matter into a formal legal...