Grand Canyon Times

In a notable case involving two prominent Arizona politicians, the divorce proceedings between Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) have recently come to light, revealing details of their split that began nearly eight years ago.

The unsealed case reveals Ruben filed for divorce from his heavily pregnant wife Kate on Dec. 16, 2016. 

Initially, Ruben sought to seal the case, arguing that Kate had not yet been served with the papers and was "likely to give birth any day." 

After a protracted legal battle with the independent news outlet Washington Free Beacon, which the outlet said cost $1 million in legal fees, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled against the Gallegos’ attempts to keep the records confidential.

Ruben, who was represented by attorney Bonnie L. Booden, requested that the court seal the records of the case at the time, citing the high-profile nature of both parties.

“Both parties are high profile politicians in Maricopa County,” Ruben Gallego’s attorney wrote. 

The court granted this request, sealing the case just one day prior to the official filing.

The unsealed filings show Ruben claimed their marriage was "irretrievably broken," a statement Kate disputed. 

The divorce was finalized in April 2017, with both parties affirming there was no domestic violence during their marriage.

After the divorce, Ruben married lobbyist Sydney Barron in December 2019. 

As Ruben Gallego prepares for the Nov. 5 election against Republican candidate Kari Lake, the divorce proceedings have reignited scrutiny of his behavior. 

Following the unsealing, the Gallegos publicly demanded an apology from Lake for mischaracterizing Ruben as a "deadbeat dad."

"It’s bizarre that Ruben Gallego would demand an apology from Kari Lake for his appalling behavior," Caroline Wren, a senior advisor to Kari Lake, said in a statement reported by NPR.

Wren said the timing of the divorce should be a red flag for Arizona women.  

"If Ruben Gallego will turn his back on his pregnant wife days before she gives birth, he will turn his back on the women of Arizona,” she said. 

Despite the public nature of the proceedings, the couple maintained that their push for confidentiality was aimed at protecting their young son, though the released documents did not disclose personal information about him.

In 2023, the Washington Free Beacon sought to unseal the records of the divorce proceedings, arguing a “First Amendment Right of Access to Court Records.” 

This move sparked renewed interest in the high-profile split, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny both politicians face from the public and media.

Ruben and Kate Gallego filed a joint response opposing a motion to unseal court records related to their divorce, citing significant privacy concerns and the well-being of their young child.

In their response to the Washington Free Beacon’s motion, the Gallegos emphasize that their divorce, resolved amicably in early 2017 through a consent decree, was carried out “in the interest of the mutual respect [they] share for each other, and most importantly, in the interest of [their] young child.” 

The Gallegos proposed that several key documents—including the Decree of Dissolution, Parenting Plan and Child Support Agreement—remain sealed entirely. 

“The privacy interest is at its strongest here, in a case involving purely personal conduct and family life,” they argued. 

However, the Washington Free Beacon said the sealed Divorce case was “nearly unprecedented.” 

“What the Gallegos are clearly trying to conceal from public view is evidence of, arguments regarding, and the Court's determination of the fitness of these public officials to care for a child,” the Washington Free Beacon’s attorney wrote in response. 

“The principal cited example of information that should categorically be kept from public view is how their child should (or, more importantly, should not be) disciplined,” the petition from the Washington Free Beacon reads.

“That is not about the yet unborn or infant child's actual behavior, it is about their parents' anticipated behavior, likely based on historical conduct. And that type of information is directly relevant to Mayor Gallego or Congressman Gallego's fitness to care for this State's largest city or our Nation."

As part of their divorce agreement, the Ivy League-educated couple - both who graduated from Harvard University - committed to splitting the cost of their child’s education at the cost of an Ivy League school. 

Filings accompanying the documents release show Ruben Gallego received travel compensation from The Aspen Institute. 

The Aspen Institute notably hosted a tabletop exercise to pre-bunk and later censor the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020. 

The Aspen Institute initiative which was attended by representatives from Harvard, the U.S. military, social media companies, Wikipedia and others focused on the planned suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story two months before the New York Post report. 

The filings also revealed several fiduciary positions held by Kate Gallego, including for the Geneva, Switzerland based 50L Home. 

50L Home’s website notes the group works with various stakeholders—including companies, governments, and civil society—to implement “green” initiatives, including reducing, recycling, and reusing water, along with efforts to “inspire daily behavioral lifestyle changes.” 

The filings also show that Kate Gallego belongs to a number of Democrat led non-profit and political organizations including Accelerator for America, League of Arizona Cities and Towns, C40, Climate Mayors, Democratic Mayors Association, Democratic National Committee and others.