The following document is a resource for reporters, investigators, attorneys, and law enforcement.
It is a meticulous, day-by-day timeline of Ruben Gallego and Eric Swalwell’s “best friendship” since 2015 based on private text messages, event invitations, financial records, photographs, audio/video files, and other sources, all compiled into a chronological timeline for your convenience.
To my knowledge, this is the most thorough view into their relationship, but keep in mind that it is not comprehensive. Not only have I omitted certain events and details for privacy reasons (and shared other events and details with investigators confidentially for the time being), the vast majority of their interactions, happy hours, and trips together remain a secret.
Some of the incidents detailed in the 20-plus pages below are suspicious, but many (if not most) are completely innocuous. The more notable incidents include:
- Gallego saying that he and Swalwell are “the best of friends” and that “I know his heart,” and Swalwell reciprocating that Gallego is “my best friend in the world.”
- Complaints filed against both men by female colleagues and staffers.
- Swalwell’s many trips to Arizona, Gallego’s many trips to California, and the duo’s frequent trips together both out-of-state (“millennial meet-ups”) and out-of-country (Germany, camel-riding in Qatar).
- Gallego serving as the chairman of Swalwell’s presidential campaign.
- Gallego’s dismissive reaction to Swalwell texting a young female staffer about champagne (“Uhh your boss is Eric… so”).
- Several questions raised about Gallego’s response(s) to the Swalwell revelations.
This is not a “gotcha” document. It is a research tool. This timeline is intended to give readers — and whoever else may need it — a clearer picture of Gallego and Swalwell’s decade-long “best friendship.” These two people have been attached at the hip for more than a decade, and I want readers to digest how often they spend time together and travel together. I want readers to absorb how often they speak, the familiar tone and frat-boy vulgarities they use, and how they share even the smallest details of their lives with each other in those known conversations.
I want readers to ask whether Gallego’s recent claims — that he knew “nothing” and never saw anything untoward — feel even the slightest bit realistic, and I will let them draw their own conclusion to that exercise based on the information below. Thank you, and enjoy.
2009
February 5, 2009:
An intern files a complaint against Gallego (then-chief of staff to a city councilman) for having “berated and intimidated her in front of co-workers,” including “yelling and pounding his desk so loud that it caught the attention of several aides working in other council offices.” Gallego later admits “he regrets that [the intern] felt uncomfortable and characterized the outburst as a ‘momentary lapse.’” (print archive)
2013
April 11, 2013:
Two female Democratic lawmakers file a sexual harassment complaint against Gallego for making “sexual remarks” that were “insulting, degrading, and personally offensive to women.” (complaint)
2015
April 16, 2015:
Swalwell donates $2,000 to Gallego’s congressional campaign (FEC)
April 16, 2015:
Gallego and Swalwell launch the Future Forum (press release)
April 20, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Twitter’s corporate headquarters in San Francisco for an event (photo)
April 20, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Chabot College for an event (photo) (photo)
April 20, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in California for another event (photo)
April 21, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to San Francisco for an Impact Hub event (photo) (photo)
May 16, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to California Democratic Party headquarters for an event (photo) (photo)
July 18, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Phoenix, Arizona, for a panel at Netroots Nations (flyer) (photo) (photo) (photo)
July 18, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Washington, D.C., for a panel at the Make Progress summit (photo) (photo)
September 30, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego write an op-ed together (op-ed)
October 4, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Seattle (link)
October 5, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in Washington for a UW Tacoma event (photo) (photo)
October 5, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in Washington for a University of Puget Sound event (photo) (photo) (photo)
October 5, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Amazon’s corporate headquarters for an event (photo) (photo)
October 12, 2015:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Seattle for an SEIU event (photo)
December 16, 2015
Swalwell and Gallego coordinate a “Future Forum Special Order Hour” on House floor (congressional record)
December 21, 2015:
Gallego brags that “it’s been a great year for the Future Forum” (link)
2016
February 5, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Texas for a Dallas Entrepreneur Center event (photo) (photo)
February 5, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in Texas for a Tarrant County College event (photo) (photo)
March 1, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego pose for a two-person spread in Washington Life Magazine (photoshoot)
March 14-15, 2016:
Swalwell spends money on travel ($1,618.05) and food/beverage ($47.68) at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona (FEC) (FEC) (FEC)
March 30, 2016:
Swalwell donates $500 to Gallego’s congressional campaign (FEC)
April 12, 2016:
Gallego brags that “it’s been a great year for the Future Forum” (link)
April 13, 2016:
Swalwell tags Gallego in a post about his Snapchat habit (link)
May 21, 2016:
Swalwell urges people in a Star Wars-themed post to follow him on Snapchat, to which Gallego responds: “May the force be with you” (link)
June 19, 2016:
Gallego makes fun of Swalwell for supporting the Golden State Warriors (link)
July 26, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in Philadelphia for the We the Future Summit (photo) (photo) (photo)
July 28, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Philadelphia for a breakfast event at which Gallego introduces Swalwell to the Arizona delegation and at which Swalwell shares a table with Gallego’s then-wife Kate Gallego (née Katharine Widland) (photo) (photo)
September 15, 2016:
Swalwell congratulates Gallego for receiving a NextGov award (link)
September 29, 2016:
Swalwell and Gallego co-introduce a bill (press release)
November 6, 2016:
Gallego responds to a Swalwell post about his social media habits: “What have I told you about playing with twitter?!!” (link)
December 15, 2016:
Gallego files for divorce from his wife, Kate Gallego (née Katharine Widland), when she is nine months pregnant (court records)
2017
January 10, 2017:
Gallego announces that he is “proud” to co-sponsor Swalwell’s bill “investigate Russian meddling in our elections” (link)
March 11, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Texas for a “millennial meetup” event, the invitation for which features a photograph of Swalwell and a rack of wine bottles (flyer) (photo) (photo) (photo)
April 22, 2017:
Gallego sends a private text message to Swalwell after a TV appearance about how “your eyebrows” look like “two caterpillars are trying to meet on your forehead” (text message)
May 17, 2017:
Gallego announces that he is joining Swalwell’s discharge petition to force a vote on a bill (link)
June 20, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego attend an Election Night party for the special congressional election in Georgia (photo)
August 18, 2017:
Swalwell posts a photograph of Gallego with a Pikachu filter on Snapchat, to which Gallego responds: “We share the same makeup artist” (photo) (link)
September 6, 2017:
Gallego posts a photograph of Swalwell during a TV appearance and says that Swalwell’s wife did a “good job” on his “eyebrows” (link)
September 15, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about going through airport security (link)
September 17, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about their reputation for using profanity (link)
September 29 (?), 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego have a “fun week” in Washington, D.C., with the San Diego Regional Chamber (link)
October 6, 2017:
Gallego jokes with Swalwell about being “a 90210 fan” instead of a Dawson’s Creek fan (link)
October 11, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego attend a fundraiser at a Washington, D.C., home for congressional candidate Abby Finkenauer (photo)
November 8, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego host a Future Forum press conference (photo) (photo)
November 14, 2017:
Congressman Carlos Curbelo demands an apology from Gallego after a female aide’s revelations about Gallego “putting his ear wax on her shoulder after a TV appearance” (link) (newsletter)
December 18, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego joke with their close friend Congressman Jimmy Gomez, whom later was “spotted surreptitiously kissing a much younger congressional aide” (link)
December 22, 2017:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about an airport incident involving the former’s wife (link)
2018
January 15, 2018:
Swalwell donates $2,000 to Gallego’s congressional campaign (FEC)
February 9, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Arizona for a two-person Galvanize Phoenix event (photo) (photo)
February 9, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego travel elsewhere in Phoenix for a happy hour hosted by the Maricopa County Young Democrats and ASU Young Democrats (photo)
February 10, 2018:
Swalwell is seen on TV during a “millennial event” with Gallego (link)
March 5, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the Mueller investigation (link)
March 7, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego mock actor James Woods (link)
March 9, 2018:
Swalwell tags Gallego after seeing him on C-SPAN cameras (link)
March 9, 2018:
Swalwell says that “I’m stuck babysitting for Ruben Gallego” today (link)
May 23, 2018:
Gallego applauds Swalwell for “telling it like it is” during a TV appearance (link)
July 3, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about their teams in the World Cup (link)
July 18, 2018:
Swalwell threatens to impeach President Donald Trump over a situation involving former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, to which Gallego responds: “Ditto” (link)
July 20, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego film a video at a park for the ALS Pepper Challenge, during which Gallego tries to force his pepper (already half-eaten) into a woman’s mouth (video)
August 27, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Senator James Inhofe (link)
September 4, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about the investigations into President Donald Trump (link)
November 5, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about their least favorite Disney songs (link)
November 20, 2018:
Swalwell makes fun of Gallego for turning 40 years old, to which Gallego responds: “My younger colleague is confused and bad at math. I am in fact 39” (link)
November 30, 2018:
Swalwell and Gallego accuse President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia (link)
October 16, 2018:
Gallego says that he and Swalwell “have to up our game” after not being named one of the year’s “top 10 Russophobes” (link)
December 5, 2018:
Gallego tells Swalwell that he will “sneak you a bottle of merlot and kale” in his “old age,” to which Swalwell responds that he prefers “Cab” and “avocado toast” (link)
December 31, 2018:
Swalwell encourages Gallego to run for U.S. Senate (link)
2019
February 13, 2019:
Swalwell films a video tagging Gallego for an ALS challenge (video)
March 29, 2019:
Gallego donates $4,000 to Swalwell’s congressional campaign (FEC) (FEC)
April 15, 2019:
Gallego announces that he is “proud” to be named chairman of Swalwell’s presidential campaign (press release)
April 15, 2019:
Gallego travels to California to help organize/host Swalwell’s campaign launch rally (video)
April 20, 2019:
Gallego says during a TV appearance that he chose to be Swalwell’s campaign chairman because “we’re the best of friends … I know his heart.” (video)
May 1, 2019:
Swalwell and Gallego debate commentator Tomi Lahren about gun control (link)
June 2, 2019:
Gallego does rapid-response for the Swalwell campaign’s town hall event (link) (link)
June 10, 2019:
Swalwell brags about Gallego’s endorsement of his presidential campaign (link)
June 27, 2019:
Gallego does more than two hours of rapid-response (about 16 tweets) for the Swalwell campaign during the Democratic primary debate, ultimately declaring Swalwell the winner (link) (link)
August 13, 2019:
Swalwell makes fun of a candidate who is considering a congressional campaign against Gallego, to which Gallego responds: “Burn!” (link)
August 13, 2019:
Swalwell makes fun of commentator Dinesh D’Souza, to which Gallego responds: “Hello 911 I would like to report a murder…” (link)
September 8, 2019:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about foreign policy (link)
September 20, 2019:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about President Donald Trump’s friendship with attorney Roy Cohn (link)
October 2, 2019:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, saying that it is “difficult” for him to “read” because “he’s still learning English” (link)
November 19, 2019:
Gallego goes to the store, purchases a box of Gas-X, and places it on Swalwell’s desk in Congress (link)
November 21, 2019:
Swalwell posts a photograph of Gallego eating a donut to celebrate his 40th birthday (link)
2020
February 17, 2020:
Swalwell congratulates Gallego on his engagement to lobbyist Sydney Barron (now Sydney Gallego) (link)
February 22, 2020:
Gallego says that he is not endorsing a candidate for president because “I have the political kiss of death,” to which Swalwell responds: “… you can say that again” (link)
March 6, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego criticize Congressman Ken Buck for mishandling a gun (link)
March 20, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about comparisons of the COVID-19 pandemic to war (link)
March 21, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the TV show Blippi (link)
March 23, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the TV show Blippi (link)
March 25, 2020:
Swalwell films a video tagging Gallego for a push-up challenge, in response to which Gallego asks him whether there is a time limit (link)
March 27, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the TV show Blippi (link)
March 27, 2020:
Gallego says that he and Swalwell are gym partners but that “mostly he runs and I just jabber at him while pretending to work out” (link)
April 14, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about Mutiny on the Bounty and Cobra Kai (link)
May 3, 2020:
Swalwell posts a photograph of Gallego during a TV appearance and says that “it looks like he’s surfing the web and unknowingly has been patched into MSNBC,” to which Gallego responds: “You are just jealous cause I have a better quarantine beard than you do” (link)
May 14, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the large size of his face mask and, after a constituent makes a comment, Gallego asks her to not “encourage him” (link)
May 26, 2020:
Swalwell says that he has “no regrets” about running for president, to which Gallego responds with an “official statement” as “his former Chairman”: The ‘No Ragrets’ GIF (link)
June 2, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego egg-on an investigation into the use of helicopters by the District of Columbia National Guard during the summer of 2020 riots (link)
June 17, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego cross-promote each other’s posts about the U.S. Census (link)
June 18, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about not being able to turn on the TV (link)
June 21, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego claim that President Donald Trump’s policy regarding Venezuela is tied to his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin (link)
July 21, 2020:
Swalwell responds to one of Gallego’s tweets by asking: “Are you voice texting or tweeting?” Gallego then deletes his tweet before it’s archived (link)
July 24, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Phoenix, Arizona, and host an event at Changing Hands Bookstore to promote Swalwell’s new book (flyer)
August 2, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego participate in a trend highlighting “the year you were born in GIF” (link)
September 20, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego raise money for Cal Cunningham, the Democratic candidate who lost his U.S. Senate race in North Carolina after revelations that he cheated on his wife with another married woman (link)
September 22, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego organize/host a phone-banking event with actor Jon Hamm (flyer)
September 30, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego organize/host a phone-banking event with actor Wilmer Valderrama (flyer)
October 15, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego organize/host a phone-banking event with actress Jane Lynch (flyer)
October 27, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego raise questions about the legitimacy of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s U.S. Supreme Court confirmation because Senators Kelly Loeffler and Martha McSally, who cast two of the ‘yes’ votes, were appointed (rather than elected) to their U.S. Senate seats (link) (link)
October 27, 2020:
Swalwell and Gallego raise money for U.S. Senate candidate Raphael Warnock (link)
November 3, 2020:
Gallego says that the “Az Latino vote delivered” for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, to which Swalwell responds: “I’m so proud of Ruben Gallego and the team he helped build to flip Arizona! (link)
November 4, 2020:
A woman asks whether there is “anyone else freaking out about AZ,” to which Swalwell responds: “Nah — we got it. Ruben Gallego, amirite?” (link)
November 6, 2020:
Swalwell credits Gallego for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Kamala Harris’ victory: “There’s a lot of credit to go around for the work we all did to help elect Joe Biden. One person who never stopped organizing and mobilizing his state was Ruben Gallego.” (link)
November 15, 2020:
Swalwell lobbies for Gallego to join President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet: “Lots of talent to choose from. Shouldn’t Ruben Gallego be on this list?” (link)
December 2, 2020:
Swalwell congratulates Gallego’s selection as the chair of BOLD PAC: “Ruben led the effort to turn Arizona blue. We will all benefit from him leading this new effort to recruit and support Hispanic candidates.” (link)
2021
January 5, 2021:
Gallego spends the night on Swalwell’s house watching the results of the U.S. Senate race in Georgia. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs also was with them for part of the night (link)
January 6, 2021:
During the U.S. Capitol riot, Swalwell “sought ou[t] Ruben Gallego on the House Floor” and later applauds him for being “pretty helpful” during it. Also during the riot, Gallego’s newest wife was “FaceTiming Brittany Swalwell” and “frantically texting Ruben Gallego and Eric Swalwell to figure out what was going on” (link) (link) (link) (photo)
March 17, 2021:
Gallego criticizes Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “smear campaign to remove Eric Swalwell from Intel” and threatens to “remove Devin Nunes as Ranking Member of Intel” in retaliation (link)
March 25, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego pledge to campaign against Republicans in Georgia in response to Governor Brian Kemp signing an election reform bill, with Gallego personally pledging to “get arrested to protest this stupid law” (link)
March 28, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (link)
March 29, 2021 – April 3, 2021:
Swalwell, Gallego, and their wives travel to Qatar for (what appears to be) a quasi-vacation. The trip, which they now claim was congressional travel funded by the US-Qatar Business Council, was exposed after photographs of the foursome riding camels in the desert (Swalwell and Gallego wearing no shirts) leaked online. The trip was widely condemned because it occurred while American families were still subject to COVID-19 restrictions and the camel-riding activities appeared to be outside of the scope of congressional travel. (photo) (travel disclosure form) (travel disclosure form)
May 14, 2021:
Swalwell complains that a Republican congressional aide “yelled at me to take my mask off,” to which Gallego responds: “This staffer is lucky he told that to Swalwell, he is way nicer than me.” (link)
June 5, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Puerto Rico for the latter’s second wedding, during which they “both spent campaign funds at Puerto Rican resorts” (news article)
June 17, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego raise money for Senator Raphael Warnock (link)
June 18, 2021:
Gallego accuses Senator Marco Rubio of “playing stupid” regarding President Donald Trump’s impeachment, to which Swalwell responds: “Playing?” (link)
June 25, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congressman Andrew Clyde (link)
July 1, 2021:
Swalwell tells people to pre-order Gallego’s new book (link)
July 2, 2021:
Gallego tells Swalwell and Congressmen Jimmy Gomez and Brendan Boyle to “have an intervention” for him “I ever become this much of a vapid, soul less political hack” (link)
July 28, 2021:
Gallego shares a video of a female judo contender being slapped in the face by her coach and adds: “Think I should do this to Eric Swalwell and Jimmy Gomez before they give a floor speech … I will slap you as you walk in” (link)
August 23, 2021:
Gallego describes himself as “pudgy,” to which Swalwell responds: “Let’s see if you can keep the wedding weight. Jury is out.” Gallego then replies: “Even my best friend. See if I ever ride camels with you again.” (link)
October 7, 2021:
Swalwell says “we should ban him [Andy Biggs] from Congress,” to which Gallego responds: “Yep!!” (link)
October 21, 2021:
Swalwell says that Gallego is “just as much of a pain in the ass to his colleagues,” to which Gallego responds: “Yeah true! I owe you one!” (link)
October 28, 2021:
Swalwell criticizes commentator Tucker Carlson’s new movie about the January 6th U.S. Capitol riots, to which Gallego responds that the Carlson movie is “worse” than “Al Qaeda tribute videos” because “Al Qaeda terrorist[s] weren’t an existential threat to our democracy” (link)
November 5, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Phoenix, Arizona, for an event at Changing Hands Bookstore to promote Gallego’s new book, during which he was interviewed by reporter Olivia Nuzzi (flyer)
November 9, 2021:
Swalwell tells people to order Gallego’s new book (link)
November 13, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego mock U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters (link)
November 19, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego mock congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn and accuse him of lying about “being accepted into the Naval Academy” (link)
November 30, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about the Suns-Warriors NBA game. After seeing a photograph of Congressmen Greg Stanton and Jared Huffman watching the game in a suit-and-tie, Gallego asks Swalwell: “Should we put on our ties and watch the game standing up?” Swalwell responds by asking Congressman Mike Levin: “… we’re low on beer. Make a run, will ya!” Gallego later makes fun of Swalwell after the Warriors lose. (link) (link) (link)
December 12, 2021:
Swalwell says that Gallego has one of the best Twitter feeds of any member of Congress (link)
December 16, 2021:
Swalwell thanks members of Congress “for having Ruben Gallego’s back” (link)
December 26, 2021:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congressman Thomas Massie (link)
December 31, 2021:
Gallego tells Swalwell that he is going to “sabre” (open with a sword) a bottle of wine, to which Swalwell responds that he is “going to lose a thumb.” Gallego’s newest wife films a video of him opening the bottle and Gallego says: “What you got to say now Eric Swalwell!!!” Swalwell mocks Gallego for wearing “leopard slippers” in the video, which the latter says are “so comfy.” (link) (link)
December 31, 2021:
One of Swalwell’s female congressional staffers sends him a private text message bragging about how “I can flawlessly saber champagne.” Swalwell responds, “Haha I’ve seen,” and the female staffer offers to “troll your best friend” (meaning Gallego). Swalwell then posts her text message on Twitter, prompting the female staffer to respond: “This is honestly not how I thought 2021 was going to end.” Gallego then replies to her: “Uhh your boss is Eric… so” (text message) (link)
2022
January 1, 2022:
Gallego tags Swalwell in a post making fun of Congressman Matt Gaetz for wearing a congressional pin at a New Year’s party (link)
January 8, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about the TV show Paw Patrol (link)
January 13, 2022:
Swalwell writes: “My (early) #FridayFollow is my best pal in Congress, Ruben Gallego of Arizona” (link)
January 16, 2022:
After Gallego’s backdrop (during a TV appearance) is criticized, Swalwell responds: “He’s my 2022 project” (link)
January 23, 2022:
After Gallego’s backdrop (during a TV appearance) is criticized, Swalwell responds: “I promised I would work on him. I need to try harder” (link)
February 18, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego travel to Germany and take a selfie at the Munich Security Conference (photo)
February 18, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congressman Pat Fallon (link)
February 27, 2022:
After Gallego’s backdrop (during a TV appearance) receives positive feedback, Swalwell responds: “It took a village” (link)
March 29, 2022:
Swalwell jokes claims Gallego is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine because he is older than 50 (link)
April 16, 2022:
After Gallego posts a tweet in which the profanity is redacted, Swalwell says that “Ruben didn’t write this tweet … Kid’s never used an asterisk in his life.” Gallego responds: “I ‘seemingly’ did … You told me to ‘act like the job you want not the job you have’” (link)
April 16, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock businessman Elon Musk’s initial failed attempt to purchase Twitter (link)
April 29, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Senator Ted Cruz for not defending his wife during the 2016 presidential race (link)
April 29, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego urge people to support congressional candidate Quaye Quartey (link)
May 13, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congresswoman Elisa Stefanik and accuse Republicans (each using this exact phrase) of wanting to “starve the babies.” Gallego adds that “some of them enjoy the thought of it” (link)
May 15, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congressman Thomas Massie (link)
May 29, 2022:
After Gallego’s backdrop (during a TV appearance) receives positive feedback, Swalwell responds: “My work here is done” (link)
June 16, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego call on President Donald Trump to appear before Congress during the January 6th hearings (link)
June 18, 2022:
Swalwell shares a yearbook photograph of himself with bleached-blonde, to which Gallego responds by calling him “slim shady” and adding: “Bad taste isn’t a crime. It’s just sad” (link)
July 2, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego criticize a policy announcement by Attorney General Ken Paxton (link)
July 15, 2022:
Swalwell recommends that people follow Gallego’s Twitter account (link)
July 22, 2022:
Swalwell brags that “Ruben Gallego & I didn’t run” during the January 6th U.S. Capitol riot (link)
August 19, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego use landscaping-themed puns to mock a company that had criticized the former (link)
September 6, 2022:
A woman asks which politician Swalwell would want “sitting next to you” on a 14-hour flight. He chooses Gallego, who then responds: “I am a talker. I got lots of stories” (link)
September 18, 2022:
Gallego shares a photograph of himself stuck inside of an elevator with other members of Congress, to which Swalwell responds: “Otherwise known as the closest we’ll come to Speaker McCarthy” (link)
September 20, 2022:
Swalwell urges people to read a new Vox profile about Gallego: “When Democracy is on the line, I’ll always choose the foxhole Ruben Gallego is in to defend it.” Gallego responds that it is a “fighting hole” (link)
September 21, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock congressional candidate J.R. Majewski (link)
September 22, 2022:
Swalwell promotes the new Vox profile about Gallego (link)
October 6, 2022:
Swalwell promotes the new Vox profile about Gallego (link)
October 6, 2022:
Swalwell asks Gallego what he thinks about “stolen valor candidates like Tyler Kistner” (link)
October 9, 2022:
Gallego accuses former U.S. Ambassador Ric Grenell of “partying with Nazis,” to which Swalwell asks why he’s “assuming it was Slick Ric’s mistake and not his intent.” Gallego then replies with a meme from The Office (link)
October 17, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters (link)
November 1, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (link)
November 12, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego talk about their failed efforts to defeat congressional candidate (and now-Congressman) Juan Ciscomani (link)
November 19, 2022:
After Gallego’s backdrop (during a TV appearance) is criticized, Swalwell responds: “I thought we had made progress. He’s relapsed” (link)
November 28, 2022:
Swalwell criticizes gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake for tweeting out the photograph of him and Gallego riding camels in Qatar (link)
December 15, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock former U.S. Ambassador Ric Grenell (link)
December 26, 2022:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Congressman-elect George Santos (link)
2023
January 9, 2023:
Swalwell tags Gallego and writes “lol” in response to Wall Street Journal reporter Eliza Collins moving back to Arizona (link)
January 18, 2023:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s all-but-announced Democratic primary campaign against Senator Kyrsten Sinema (link)
January 24, 2023:
Swalwell donates $4,000 to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (FEC) (FEC)
January 26, 2023:
Swalwell spends $4,150.08 at a Hampton Inn in Arizona (FEC) (FEC)
January 27, 2023:
Swalwell films a video of himself playing mock-football, to which Gallego responds: “Please put Swalwell on some committees he has too much time on his hands” (link)
February 7, 2023:
Swalwell buys a $3,300 fundraising event ticket for an Arizona resident named Ian Lev (FEC)
February 11, 2023
Swalwell buys a $3,300 fundraising event ticket for an Arizona resident named Scott Rouillard (FEC)
February 13-15, 2023:
Swalwell spends money at ten establishments in Arizona, including $374.06 on travel and food/beverage at the Marriott in Phoenix, $238.82 on food/beverage at Craft Culinary Concepts in Phoenix, and $469.37 on food/beverage at Nobu in Scottsdale. (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC) (FEC)
March 10, 2023:
Swalwell urges people to follow Gallego’s Twitter account and support his U.S. Senate campaign (link)
March 12, 2023:
Swalwell and Gallego mock Senator Kyrsten Sinema (link)
August 4, 2023:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (link)
September 30, 2023:
Gallego sends a private text message asking Swalwell for $5,000 (text message)
October 10, 2023:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (link)
December 22, 2023:
Swalwell spends $204.03 on an unspecified “gift” from the L’Auberge De Sedona resort in Arizona (FEC)
2024
January 16, 2024:
Swalwell spends $1,229.69 at a Resident Inn in Tempe, Arizona (FEC)
February 12, 2024:
Swalwell spends $239.04 on food/beverage at AJ’s Fine Foods in Chandler, Arizona, and $354.12 on venue rental at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona (FEC) (FEC)
March 6, 2024:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (link)
March 26, 2024:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (link)
June 8, 2024:
Gallego shares a photograph of U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake with a Confederate flag in the background, which Swalwell describes as “KKKari Lake holding a Confederate Flag rally” (link)
June 30, 2024:
Swalwell urges people to donate to Gallego’s U.S. Senate campaign (link)
August 23, 2024:
Swalwell brags that Gallego just delivered “one of the best lines” of the Democratic National Convention (link)
November 5, 2024:
Swalwell and Gallego organize/host a phone-banking event for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (flyer)
November 5, 2024:
Gallego spends the night on Swalwell’s house watching the results of the presidential race. When someone knocked at the door — at this point it was clear that President Donald Trump was going to win a second term — Gallego said to Swalwell: “They’re already here for you … It’s over … You’re going to jail … I know folks in the tribes … I can hide you” (book)
2025
June 29, 2025:
Gallego says that Democrats should “use reconciliation to pass immigration reform,” to which Swalwell responds: “Bingo!” (link)
July 24, 2025:
Swalwell and Gallego joke about their wives spending too much money (link)
July 24, 2025:
Gallego calls Vice President JD Vance an “ass,” to which Swalwell responds: “Ruben is not wrong” (link)
August 13-17 (?), 2025:
Gallego flew to Bogotá, Colombia, under the guise of congressional delegation (CODEL) travel. However, it was later revealed that he “stayed out until the wee hours of the morning partying at a club” and “at least one female embassy employee told her State Department colleagues she received a message from Gallego asking her to come out” (news article)
October 26, 2025:
Swalwell says that Democratic presidential candidates to “pledge to take a wrecking ball to the Trump Ballroom on day one … or, as Ruben Gallego proposes, rename it the Barack Obama Ballroom” (link)
November 18, 2025:
Swalwell and Ruben travel to California for a campaign event during which Swalwell introduces “my best friend in the world, Ruben Gallego.” Gallego then delivers a speech encouraging attendees to “stand with people like Eric Swalwell” because “Eric is a fighter like me” (video) (video)
December 16, 2025:
Gallego donates $8,000 to Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign (FEC)
2026
February 13, 2026:
Gallego says that Swalwell should be the next governor of California because he “was with me on the floor of the House” on January 6th “fighting to save our Democracy from a mob” (link)
February 26, 2026:
Gallego says that Swalwell and gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer “are not the same” because “Swalwell is still paying off student loans” (link)
March 26, 2026:
Gallego formally endorses Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign (graphic)
March 29, 2026:
Swalwell urges people to read a “great” new CNN profile about Gallego: “What you see is what you get with Ruben Gallego. It’s refreshing and it’s shaking up the senate.” (link)
April 7, 2026:
Gallego dismisses the attacks against and rumors about Swalwell: “When you are in first place, is when they target you. Eric is a fighter and he will win the Governors race.” (link)
April 7, 2026:
Gallego mocks the rumors that have been circulating about the forthcoming news articles revealing Swalwell’s sexual improprieties: “This person started to posting for the first time 3 days ago…” (link)
April 10, 2026:
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes its article about Swalwell’s sexual improprieties (news article)
April 10, 2026:
Gallego announces that “I am withdrawing my endorsement of Congressman Swalwell” … but explicitly (1) does not call on him to withdraw from the gubernatorial race and (2) does not call on him to resign from Congress (link)
April 13, 2026:
Only minutes before Swalwell submits his resignation letter, Gallego says that he “is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress” and “the women who have come forward … deserve to be believed” … even though Gallego claims on April 14 to have not spoken to Swalwell that day (link)
April 13, 2026:
Gallego is confronted by a reporter and claims during the 45-second exchange that Swalwell “tricked” him and “led a double life” (video/transcript)
April 14, 2026:
Gallego is forced to participate in a 30-minute press gaggle. Asked whether he regrets “downplaying all of the rumors” on April 7, Gallego says “I regret that” but claims that he did it because “Eric … manipulated me.” Gallego then claims that he had told Swalwell during an April 10 phone call to “get out the governor’s race” and “get out of Congress” … even though he did not publicly call for either prior to April 13. Gallego also claims that he “never” saw Swalwell “engaging in an affair” and promises that “I’ve never mistreated any female staffers,” which is not true according to the two incidents detailed in this document on February 5, 2009, and November 14, 2017 (video/transcript)
April 14, 2026:
Congressman Mike Lawler writes a letter calling on Gallego to “release all communications exchanged between yourself and the alleged predator” (letter)
April 15 (?), 2026:
Gallego claims during an interview that he “never” saw Swalwell act inappropriately “toward staff” … which, again, is contradicted by Gallego’s dismissive response on December 31, 2021, after seeing Swalwell’s conversation with a young female staffer about drinking champagne (video)
April 16, 2026:
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna reveals during a TV appearance that she has “confirmed with Senator John Thune’s chief of staff” that the U.S. Senate, including the ethics committee, is “investigating” alleged improprieties against Gallego. She adds: “… there is a woman that allegedly is coming forward with attorneys who wants to go on record about an incident that occurred between the two of them at the same time and the event was sexual nature.” (video)
April 23, 2026:
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna writes: “I have now heard of 4 women who have had multiple and uncomfortable/inappropriate advances/comments/touching, etc. from Senator Gallego. This is not made up and the Senate is being awfully quiet about it.” (link)
###
FOIAzona 
Leave a comment