Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) told CBS News‘ “The Takeout with Major Garrett” that Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) faces allegations of sexual misconduct and sent the matter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office for investigation.

“It’s seems like the Senate has its own trash to take out. @LeaderJohnThune. You need to look into the allegations against one of your Senators, it’s very disturbing. My chief will be contacting your chief,” Luna wrote in a cryptic post earlier this week.

Luna confirmed her post was referring to the Arizona Democrat.

“We are talking about an Arizona senator that was very closely tied to Eric Swalwell, and I have since confirmed with Senator John Thune’s chief of staff, as well as their linking us to their ethics that they are investigating, and we are sending all appropriate information directly to them now,” Luna said.

The Florida Republican said a woman is allegedly preparing to come forward with attorneys and wants to go on the record about allegations against Gallego.

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Luna said the allegations are allegedly “sexual in nature.”

She also referenced allegations of “campaign finance violations.”

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CBS News explained further:

Gallego has strongly denied wrongdoing in recent days. He told reporters earlier this week he has never engaged in any sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior with staff or women outside of his marriage.

Gallego — who was friends with Swalwell but later called for his expulsion from Congress — acknowledged earlier this week that he was aware of rumors of Swalwell acting “flirty.” But he later said that he’d “never heard actual accusations of harassment of staff or predatory behavior toward staff.” Gallego also said he “fell for the lies.”

Hours before Luna named Gallego, Thune told reporters that he didn’t know whether the congresswoman’s allegations of “very disturbing” behavior were credible, but he said it had been referred to the Senate’s Select Committee on Ethics. CBS News has reached out to the ethics panel for comment.

“These are right wing conspiracy theories being parroted by a fringe far right member of Congress. Senator Gallego has not received notification or been contacted by the ethics committee,” a Gallego spokesperson told CBS News.

Gallego alleged earlier this week that Swalwell “lied” to him and betrayed him.

“This man led a double life,” Gallego said.

“I was manipulated. I was lied to. And everyone else was too,” he added.

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NBC News has more:

Gallego said he called the news conference to reject any suggestions that he was aware of Swalwell’s alleged sexual misconduct toward women. The Democratic senator, who served in the House with Swalwell for a decade, said he had “no knowledge of predatory behavior, sexual assault, or harassment” that have been alleged against the married father of three.

The senator acknowledged that he had heard for “many years” that Swalwell was “just a flirty, social guy,” but only recently asked him about the misconduct allegations after they surfaced.

“My family and his family were as close as it gets,” Gallego told reporters in explaining why he trusted the House member. “Our kids were in baseball camp together. We had dinner together as a family.”

But Gallego said that when rumors about sexual misconduct were circulating several weeks ago — before the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday about a former Swalwell staffer accusing him of two sexual assaults — “I did ask him, and he lied to me,” Gallego said.

A former Swalwell aide alleged to the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN last week that she had several sexual encounters with Swalwell while she worked in his congressional office. She accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent.

A source familiar with the woman’s account confirmed to NBC News that the reporting by CNN and the Chronicle is accurate. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing legal matter.

 

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