CASA Files Ethics Complaint Against AZ Senator For Alleged Threats and Smears Against Speaker Mike Johnson

The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), a nonpartisan watchdog group focused on national security and government transparency, filed a formal ethics complaint last week with the Senate Select Committee on against Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego . 

The complaint, authored by CASA Director James J. Fitzpatrick and addressed to Chairman James Lankford (R-OK) and Vice Chairman Chris Coons (D-DE), alleges that Gallego violated Senate ethics rules through threats of physical violence and defamatory statements against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La).

CASA first announced the complaint on X, where Fitzpatrick posted images of the document and wrote: “This morning CASA filed this Senate Ethics complaint … against Sen Gallego. Senator Gallego’s comments physically threatening Speaker Mike Johnson and stating that he is ‘protecting pedophiles’ are completely inappropriate and unacceptable conduct for a U.S. Senator. We hope the Senate Ethics Committee will conduct a full investigation and punish Gallego accordingly.”

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This morning CASA filed this Senate Ethics complaint this morning against Sen Gallego.

Senator Gallego’s comments physically threatening Speaker Mike Johnson and stating that he is ‘protecting pedophiles’ are completely inappropriate and unacceptable conduct for a U.S.… pic.twitter.com/IDl0cyLn0Y

— Center to Advance Security in America (@SecureUSA) November 6, 2025

The allegations stem from a confrontation between Gallego and Johnson in the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 8, 2025, over the swearing in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ). Gallego claimed, “You guys just don’t want her to be on the Epstein discharge petition. …This is an excuse so that she doesn’t sign onto that,” according to the Washington Examiner.

 The following day, Oct. 9, Gallego posted a video on Instagram captioned “Mike Johnson doesn’t know that’s not why Marines fold their arms,” in which he stated: “And he should be happy I had my arms folded. There’s a reason why Marines fold their arms. It’s because it’s a way to make sure that we restrain ourselves,” as reported by AZ Free News.

Mike Johnson claims his refusal to swear in Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva has "nothing to do with Epstein" pic.twitter.com/ad9k3isMRj

— FactPost (@factpostnews) October 8, 2025

CASA described the remark as an implied threat of physical assault, noting Gallego’s background as a former U.S. Marine and stating: “Given Gallego’s military training as a Marine, he has the physical capabilities to inflict serious bodily harm. Any threat whatsoever to any federal official should be taken seriously. But Gallego threatened the Speaker of the House.”

CASA continued, “The Speaker is second in line to be President and a key official for the continuity of the American government. Not only is this a threat, but it also encourages others to consider physical violence.”

CASA labeled the accusation “defamation per se,” asserting that Gallego “knows this statement is false and he is acting with malice and reckless disregard for the truth in stating it.”

The complaint cites the Senate Ethics Manual, which requires members to “conduct themselves with a proper respect for the principles of ethics and morality” and maintain the Senate’s reputation. It argues that Gallego’s statements breach these standards and could incite political violence, especially amid concerns over left-wing violence. Fitzpatrick wrote: “In these unprecedented times of left-wing violence, we are extremely concerned that Senator Gallego’s public threat and lies could be used to justify more violence.”

CASA requests that the committee conduct a full and impartial investigation and impose “all appropriate forms of punishment available.” As of Monday, no response from Gallego’s office or the Ethics Committee was publicly released.