Senate Ethics Committee dismisses misconduct complaint against Gallego

Washington — The Senate Ethics Committee informed Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego that it dismissed a ailment against him successful which GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna accused him of misconduct, Gallego's bureau said Monday. 

In a letter to Gallego connected Friday, the bipartisan committee said it "did not find grounds that your actions violated national law, Senate rules oregon related standards of conduct."

Luna made the allegations successful April, saying the alleged misconduct was "sexual successful nature" and progressive run concern violations. In an interview with CBS News, the Florida Republican said "there is simply a pistillate that allegedly is coming guardant with attorneys [and] wants to spell on-record astir an incidental that occurred betwixt the 2 of them astatine the aforesaid time, and the lawsuit was intersexual successful nature, allegedly." She added, "I deliberation immoderate clip that you are knowingly engaging successful purchasing idiosyncratic for sex, that that is thing that should beryllium taken seriously."

The Senate Ethics Committee said Gallego, who denied immoderate wrongdoing, provided "full cooperation" passim its investigation. The sheet said it considered statements offered by individuals identified successful the complaint, Federal Election Commission reports, House and Senate expenditure reports and different information. 

"As always, the Committee retains the authorization to revisit this substance should further facts go known to the Committee," the committee added. 

The Arizona Democrat called for an apology from Luna and said the dismissal "reaffirms what I person said astir these accusations from the beginning: they were right-wing conspiracies peddled by far-right activists." 

Luna made the allegations arsenic respective women accused erstwhile Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was adjacent with Gallego, of intersexual misconduct. Swalwell resigned from Congress successful April and ended his bid for California governor. Gallego denied immoderate cognition of the alleged misconduct and said helium was "manipulated" and "lied to" by Swalwell.