Being a largely unknown Congressman is working to Rep. Ruben Gallego’s advantage, as he has so far dodged the spotlight that is focused on former 2020 presidential candidate Eric Swalwell due to a trip he took earlier this year to Qatar.
A photo of Swalwell and the lesser known Gallego, sans shirts and atop camels sparked outrage and fueled jokes on Twitter after Business Insider published it on Friday.
The Instagram photos published by Business Insider show Swalwell and Gallego happily posing maskless in front of the Persian Gulf while on a trip paid for by the trade group, US-Qatar Business Council.
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At the same time Gallego, nicknamed “The Troll” while serving in the Arizona State Legislature, was trolling Twitter followers with admonishments to “mask up,” and get vaccinated.
According to Business Insider, the trip cost of $84,621.59 was picked up by the US-Qatar Business Council. Gallego and Swalwell were joined by their significant others as well as Reps. Luis Correa and Sara Jacobs of California and Lisa McClain of Michigan.
On April 1, the US-Qatar Business Council tweeted a photo of the masked members greeting the country’s monarch, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Another image showed the group in discussion with the country’s prime minister.
Gallego’s former wife, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has ruled with an iron fist over the vast majority of her ex-husband’s constituents, forcing parks to close among other draconian and anti-business friendly measures.
In fact, while the Qataris were tweeting out images of the romping Congressman, his wife was being challenged by Gov. Doug Ducey on Twitter over her decision to close parking lots and prohibit grilling at parks over Easter weekend.
Ducey responded in a video published on Twitter. “For some unknown reason, our state’s largest city doesn’t want you in your own public park,” said Ducey. “They’ve shut down all parking and grilling for the weekend.”
With a per capita income of $20,229, a median income of $49,066, and 23.1 percent of its residents living below the poverty level, it is unlikely Gallego’s constituents could have afforded to join in on the open beach in Qatar for some fresh air and relaxation.