The release of Ruben Gallego’s divorce records has been highly anticipated, as his Republican rival Kari Lake had repeatedly suggested the documents contained a “massive story” that would be damaging to the Democratic candidate’s political campaign. However, the actual contents of the 465-page file have been described as strikingly mundane.
After a legal battle that lasted for many months between the Gallegos and the Washington Free Beacon, the Arizona Supreme Court rejected the couple’s request to keep the redacted records private. The presiding judge, John Napper, stated that “everyone’s going to be rather deflated with the results of it,” describing the divorce file as “one of the most garden-variety divorce files I have ever seen.”
The records show that in December 2016, shortly before the birth of their son, Ruben Gallego filed a petition to dissolve his marriage to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, citing an “irretrievably broken” relationship. Contrary to the allegations made by Lake and her allies, the documents reveal no details of infidelity or domestic abuse during the Gallegos’ marriage.
Instead, the file details the typical legal procedures involved in a divorce, such as how property and assets will be divided, along with arrangements for custody and child support. In a joint statement, the Gallegos condemned Lake for “lying about our family and the circumstances of our divorce,” and demanded an apology. They further stated that Lake is willing to compromise their son’s privacy for political gain.
“We have long put our child before all else and will continue to do so. The judge in this case has recognized how standard the records are, and it is shameful that Lake, her allies, and those who amplify her cruelty refuse to respect two people who are just trying to raise a beautiful boy together.”
However, this hasn’t derailed the Republican Senate candidate’s team, which had previously labeled Ruben Gallego a “deadbeat dad.” According to NPR, Caroline Wren, who works as a senior advisor to Lake, found it “bizarre” that Ruben, despite his “appalling behavior,” would ask for an apology. In her statement, she pointed out that the lawsuit in question was actually initiated by an independent media outlet.
Wren also added that if Gallego could leave his pregnant wife a few days before she delivers their child, he would very likely “turn his back on the women of Arizona.”
Ruben Gallego had previously told The Washington Post during an interview in March last year, that part of the reason for his divorce is due to the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) he developed from his service in the Iraq War. He and his ex-wife were married for almost 8 years.
