by Matthew Holloway | Apr 24, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democratic congressional candidate Joanna Mendoza declined to answer questions this week about campaign support from Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and a political action committee founded by former Democratic California Congressman Eric Swalwell.
Mendoza, who is running in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, has publicly highlighted endorsements from both Gallego and Future Forum PAC, a political organization founded by Swalwell.
In a September social media post, Mendoza wrote, “ENDORSEMENT ALERT! Honored to have the support of Future Forum PAC!” She added, “Future Forum is dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders in Congress, and together we’ll deliver a stronger, fairer future for every family in #AZ06.”
Future Forum PAC was founded by Swalwell, though references to him have reportedly since been removed from the PAC’s website.
Mendoza’s campaign website also prominently displays endorsements from Gallego and Future Forum PAC.
According to Breitbart News, Mendoza declined to answer multiple questions regarding her continued acceptance of support from Gallego and organizations linked to Swalwell following recent allegations against the former congressman.
During the exchange, Mendoza was asked whether she still supported Gallego despite his longtime friendship with Swalwell and whether she believed Gallego’s statements that he was unaware of allegations regarding Swalwell’s conduct. Mendoza did not respond to the questions.
“Lobbyist Joanna Mendoza’s website still touts her endorsement from Ruben Gallego and an Eric Swalwell-founded PAC while she refuses to ditch their money,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ben Petersen said in a statement released alongside video of the exchange. “Mendoza has gone radio silent, but Arizona voters see right through it.”
Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign and later resigned from Congress after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced.
One accuser, Lonna Drewes, alleged during a press conference that Swalwell sexually assaulted her after they met socially in 2018. Drewes said Swalwell offered to help her software business and invited her to public events before the alleged assault.
“He raped me, and he choked me, and while he was choking me, I lost consciousness, and I thought I died,” Drewes said during the press conference, according to the outlet.
“I knew he was married at the time and that his wife was pregnant,” she said. “He was my friend.”
Swalwell has denied the allegations.
Gallego later distanced himself from Swalwell following the allegations. However, Gallego has also faced allegations of misconduct.
Last week, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office and Senate ethics officials were reviewing information related to allegations involving Gallego as well as possible campaign finance violations, as reported by CBS News.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Apr 20, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona congressional candidate Marlene Galán-Woods is facing criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee over her campaign’s past payments to a fundraising company linked to former California Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
In a statement released Friday, NRCC spokesman Ben Petersen said Galán-Woods has remained silent about her campaign’s use of Findraiser, an artificial intelligence-based fundraising company tied to Swalwell.
Federal Election Commission records show Galán-Woods’ campaign committee reported multiple payments to Findraiser totaling at least $1,425 in disbursements during the 2025-2026 election cycle.
Swalwell has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days following allegations of sexual misconduct and assault made by multiple women. Swalwell has denied the allegations.
The controversy has also led to renewed attention on political figures and campaigns that maintained ties to Swalwell or companies connected to him.
In its statement, the NRCC argued Galán-Woods should sever ties with the company and explain why her campaign continued to use the service after the allegations against Swalwell became public.
“Democrat Marlene Woods owes voters an answer: Why hasn’t she dumped Eric Swalwell’s company?” Petersen said. “Her campaign’s close financial relationship with Swalwell is disgraceful.”
In another statement, Petersen described Swalwell’s reputation as a “creep” as an “open secret” in the Democratic Party, and criticized Galán-Woods for her response to the scandal, saying, “Democrat Marlene Woods bragged about Eric Swalwell’s support, then refused to say a word about the rape allegations against him for nearly a week. Shame on her protecting her fellow Democrat.”
Galán-Woods responded to criticism over her past ties to Swalwell in a post on X, calling the allegations against him “abhorrent and credible.”
“He, or anyone else who assaults women or abuses their position of power, has absolutely no place in Congress. Full stop,” Galán-Woods wrote.
Galán-Woods argued that Republican criticism centers on an endorsement she received from Swalwell during an earlier election cycle, before the allegations became public. She also accused Republican candidate Jay Feely of hypocrisy for previously accepting an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Findraiser was co-founded in early 2024 by Swalwell and Yardena Wolf, his former congressional chief of staff, as an AI-based fundraising platform aimed at Democratic candidates and committees.
Swalwell and Wolf personally promoted the company to fellow Democrats and lawmakers, according to NOTUS reports. A Democratic operative reportedly told the outlet, “He is relentless in pushing [Findraiser],” adding, “He’s peddling the shit out of that thing.”
Recent reporting from Politico indicated that several Democratic campaigns and committees have begun distancing themselves from Findraiser following the allegations against Swalwell and the resulting political fallout.
The payments to Findraiser are relatively small in dollar amounts, but the issue could become politically significant as Republicans seek to tie Democratic candidates to Swalwell amid the fallout surrounding the allegations against him.
Galán-Woods is running as a Democrat in Arizona’s First Congressional District and is facing nine other Democrats in the primary, including state Rep. Amish Shah, who led her by 21.5 points in a February HighGround poll. Shah lost to incumbent Republican Rep. David Schweikert by 16,572 votes, or 3.8 percentage points, in 2024.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 17, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A former congressman says Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) was among those alleged to have engaged in well-known secret sexual romps at the nation’s capital.
New York’s former Republican congressman George Santos posted the accusation against Gallego to X on Monday.
Santos claimed that it was a regular practice for some U.S. House and Senate members to engage in “lewd or alleged sexual misconduct-like behavior with staff or reporters” in the House office buildings’ basement storage rooms, nicknamed “cages.”
A report to the House Administration Chair, Republican Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, went nowhere, according to Santos.
“[O]ver the course of my time on Capitol Hill I learned a lot of members had rumors and or allegations against them,” said Santos. “[T]hese were rumors, and I wasn’t the only one to hear them. They were just instances where we would talk about them amongst ourselves and just shrug our shoulders because there was not much more we could do.”
Santos and Gallego had neighboring offices when their time in Congress overlapped. Their offices were connected by an internal door between the two.
The Santos allegation came out amid sexual assault and impropriety allegations against Eric Swalwell, the now-resigning California congressman who suspended his gubernatorial campaign.
Swalwell and Gallego were known “best friends” for years. The pair spent a significant amount of time together outside of their elected duties; extracurriculars per insiders included bar-hopping around D.C.
Gallego has not addressed the Santos allegation.
Santos’ claims have not been confirmed; the former congressman does have a prominent history of fabrication.
Santos himself was expelled from Congress following a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of fraud. Gallego was one of many from both parties to vote in favor of expulsion. Santos also faced a federal indictment; ultimately, he pleaded guilty to identity theft and fraud. President Donald Trump commuted Santos’ prison sentence last year.
The House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into Swalwell on Monday.
After the committee announcement, Gallego advocated for the expulsion of his former longtime friend from Congress. Gallego denied any prior knowledge of allegations of assault, harassment, or predatory behavior.
“I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew,” said Gallego. “The women who have come forward have shown courage. They deserve to be believed, to be supported, and to see justice served.”
That statement was “pure projection,” alleged Santos. The former congressman demanded another investigation, this time into Gallego.
The town attorney for Fountain Hills and former assistant attorney general, Jennifer Wright, said an investigative reporter needed to look into the allegation against Gallego.
Gallego revoked his gubernatorial endorsement of Swalwell last week shortly after the release of a report detailing sexual assault allegations against Swalwell.
Prior to the report, when the allegations were confined to rumors swirling the social media echo chamber, Gallego had initially come to Swalwell’s defense. Gallego dismissed those early allegations as politically motivated attacks.
AZ Free News reached out to Sen. Gallego regarding the accusations from George Santos. As of this report, no response has been received.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 15, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) formalized the resignation of now-former California congressman Eric Swalwell on Tuesday.
Hamadeh acted in accordance with a provision of the House Rules requiring the Speaker or his designee to announce the House membership adjustment on the floor.
Since the initial sexual assault allegations against Swalwell broke last week, at least five other women have come forward claiming wrongdoing by Swalwell ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
Arizona politico Brian Anderson remarked on the difference between Arizona members’ circumstance in relation to the Swalwell fallout: Hamadeh stepping in for the House Speaker to finalize Swalwell’s rushed exit, and Sen. Ruben Gallego defending himself against accusations of his knowledge or participation in Swalwell’s impropriety.
“Pretty shocking split-screen for Arizonans right now,” said Anderson. “On one side, Ruben Gallego shaking and stuttering, defending himself against credible allegations he knew about Swalwell. On the other, Abraham Hamadeh putting the final nail in Swalwell’s career.”
Gallego’s decade-long friendship with Swalwell has put him in the center of the former California gubernatorial candidate’s fallout.
Social media users and influencers have speculated that the mystery man in a now-viral video depicting Swalwell getting intimate with a young woman on a bed was Gallego.
During a Monday press gaggle, Gallego denied that he was the man in the video. He blamed “right-wing, political operatives” for the popularization of the narrative.
“This is an example of the lies. No, I was not sitting next to him, I was not in the room, I don’t even know where it happened,” said Gallego.
Gallego said he, too, was a victim of Swalwell. He claimed innocence of knowledge, saying Swalwell had led a “double life” and lied to him about the allegations.
“Look, I messed up. I’m human. I trusted this man, I trusted him to watch my children. I would watch his children,” said Gallego. “He knew that I had just gone through the most bruising campaign, where I was accused of being a mule for the cartel, where my kids were subjected to TV commercials about what an awful human being I was; he knew how to prey on that. I was a loyal friend to someone that was just not loyal to me.”
However, Gallego also indicated that he knew of rumors of his former friend’s flirtatiousness over the years, but had dismissed them based on his personal interactions with Swalwell and Swalwell’s wife.
“I heard rumors of him being flirty [for years],” said Gallego. “We all heard rumors in Washington, D.C.”
Gallego said he had never engaged in inappropriate behavior with any woman outside of his marriage. He claimed Swalwell lied to him and manipulated him.
Former New York congressman George Santos accused Gallego of being one of a number of U.S. House and Senate members to engage in sexual romps up the hill. Santos alleged Gallego’s behavior was “the worst-kept secret” at the Capitol.
“There is an AZ senator that needs to be looked into ASAP,” said Santos in another post. “The rumors about him have alway[s] been WILD.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Apr 14, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is facing renewed scrutiny over longstanding personal, political, and financial ties to U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) following recent allegations against the California congressman and the subsequent collapse of his gubernatorial campaign.
Swalwell suspended his bid for governor of California in a Sunday announcement after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, including a former congressional staffer. Swalwell has denied the allegations, which were detailed in reporting published Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The California Democrat has announced his intent to resign from Congress in a statement released Monday:
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make. I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress. I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district.”
The allegations triggered political fallout within Democratic circles. Gallego, who had previously endorsed Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, later revoked that endorsement.
Gallego and Swalwell have maintained a close relationship for years, publicly describing each other as close friends and frequently appearing together in political settings during their time in Congress.
Their ties extend beyond personal association into financial and campaign-related activity. According to a March report, Gallego invested campaign funds into an artificial intelligence startup launched by a business partner described as a close associate of Swalwell.
The report documented that the startup’s leadership included individuals with direct ties to Swalwell, drawing attention to the overlap between political fundraising and private investment activity.
The House Committee on Ethics has opened a probe into allegations of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, according to an announcement released Monday.
The committee stated it has “begun an investigation and will gather additional information regarding the allegations that Representative Eric Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.”
Additional attention has come from social media posts by former New York Congressman George Santos, who has highlighted the longstanding relationship between Gallego and Swalwell and suggested further scrutiny may be warranted. In posts on X, Santos pointed to the timeline of alleged incidents and Gallego’s tenure in Congress alongside Swalwell, raising questions about the extent of their association.
Santos’ posts have fueled online discussion about Gallego’s association with Swalwell and other members of Congress.
Other political figures, including Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer, have also pointed to Gallego’s past public support for Swalwell in response to the allegations.
The questions surrounding Gallego’s relationship with Swalwell have also drawn attention from journalists. In a post on X, Yashar Ali wrote, “An important question everyone should be asking: what did Senator Ruben Gallego know and when did he know it?”
Swalwell has previously faced national attention over other controversies, including reported contact with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative earlier in his congressional career. U.S. officials stated at the time that Swalwell was not accused of wrongdoing and cooperated with investigators.
Gallego initially appeared to publicly defend Swalwell as allegations emerged, before later distancing himself by withdrawing his endorsement. As of this report, Gallego has not issued a detailed public statement addressing the full scope of his relationship with Swalwell or the financial ties documented in prior reporting.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
