Luna targets Gallego as Swalwell ethics scandal widens in Congress

Anna Paulina Luna widened the fallout from Eric Swalwell’s resignation by turning her criticism toward Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, after saying the Senate has some “trash to take out.” Luna clarified on Thursday’s The Takeout that she was referring to Gallego, pulling a House ethics fight into a broader partisan clash that now reaches both chambers of Congress.

The immediate spark was the House Ethics Committee’s announcement on April 13, 2026, that it had opened an investigation into Swalwell. The committee said it would examine allegations that the California Democrat may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including toward an employee working under his supervision. Swalwell then announced that he would resign from Congress, one day after suspending his California governor campaign, and said he would fight the allegations, which he has called false.

Gallego, who once served as chair of Swalwell’s 2020 presidential campaign and had been close friends with him, publicly acknowledged the political damage on April 14. He said he felt “betrayed” and that his friendship with Swalwell had “clouded” his judgment. Gallego also said he had no knowledge of inappropriate behavior. CBS News said it had reached out to Gallego for comment, and he has previously denied any wrongdoing.

The episode has quickly moved beyond Swalwell alone. The Ethics Committee said its inquiry was being conducted pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a) and would gather additional information about whether Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct. At the same time, Luna’s remarks have put Gallego under new scrutiny, with lawmakers pressing for his communications with Swalwell to be released as part of a wider effort to trace who knew what, and when.

For now, the formal process remains centered on the House Ethics Committee and Swalwell’s conduct. But the political fight has expanded into a test of credibility for Gallego as well, with Luna using the scandal to suggest there are still more targets in Congress. Whether that amounts to substantiated misconduct or a partisan escalation will depend on what the committee uncovers, and on whether additional evidence emerges beyond the public statements already on the record.