Abe Hamadeh's social media highlighting dramatic photoshoots with his staff and interns and tours of his ornately decorated office drew eyeballs and puzzled reactions from colleagues on the Hill.
But behind the facade of gilded decorations, individuals close to the office described what they characterized as a “toxic” work environment and alleged an atypically close relationship between the congressman and one of his former staffers, who now runs his campaign.
Two individuals close to the office told Sources Say News the first-term Arizona Republican had been living with a senior male adviser at his Capitol Hill residence, describing the relationship as closer than a typical member-staffer dynamic.
Sources Say spoke with six sources familiar with the matter, including lawmakers, former staff and Arizona state political operatives to confirm details of the story, all of whom were granted anonymity to allow them to speak candidly and out of fear of retaliation.
The living arrangement allegedly had a way of bleeding into official business. On May 5, 2025, Hamadeh missed floor votes while on vacation in California with the staffer, a trip he posted about on his private Instagram, leaving staff unable to reach him that day, multiple sources claim.
While two individuals said he was unreachable, Hamadeh spokeswoman Lori Hunnicitt denied the allegation, stating: “Your initial claim that the Congressman was unreachable by staff that day is wrong. So, your basic premise is faulty. They were handling the imminent death of a lifelong friend.”
The staffer in question is Will Hannen, Hamadeh's former senior adviser, who sources said lived with the congressman for a period of time while being paid by taxpayers. Hannen now works on Hamadeh's campaign.
Hamadeh spokeswoman Lori Hunnicutt denied the relationship was romantic, telling Sources Say News: "The Congressman and Mr. Hannen have been ONLY good friends for years, and at times have been roommates. At no time has Congressman Hamadeh 'cohabitated' with Mr. Hannen or anyone else for that matter."
Hunnicutt also said she had heard from several people who refused to answer what she called Sources Say News' "slimy" questions, asserted the sources were “disgruntled” former staff, and warned that if the outlet proceeded "with a reckless disregard for the truth, rest assured that we will be taking legal action."
Hannen did not respond to a request for comment sent by text.
Living with a staffer is not an explicit House Ethics violation if the member is paying fair market rent and there is no romantic relationship. Members are also urged against showing special treatment or favoritism within their offices.
Three lawmakers told Sources Say News they would never consider living with a staffer, saying the arrangement presents an optics problem even if it does not rise to an official ethics issue.
"I have common sense," one GOP lawmaker said when asked.
"What in the actual F***. There is something wrong with that office,” another GOP lawmaker said. “If he was living with and or sleeping with his staffer he needs to be tossed out. That's not okay."
The Hannen situation, sources with knowledge of the office told Sources Say News, was not an anomaly. It was part of a broader pattern in which Hamadeh allegedly ran his office by playing favorites and hiring friends, creating an environment where some could do no wrong while others were held to an impossible standard.
"Some people could literally get away with murder there. And others were just held to a totally higher standard," one source said.
Several individuals associated with the office also told Sources Say News that Hamadeh called staffers “stupid” in front of their colleagues on multiple occasions, and took issue with the congressman allegedly claiming the legislative pit — normally shared staff workspace for the policy and communications team — as his own personal office, leaving aides crammed into a smaller area.
The arrangement can be seen in a video Hamadeh posted to social media touting his office makeover, which made its way around group texts on Capitol Hill, with staff and members alike questioning the office's judgment for posting it.
The production drew its own commentary on the Hill.
"Do you remember Aaron Schock?" one lawmaker told Sources Say News, referencing the former GOP congressman who faced legal scrutiny after his lavishly redecorated office made headlines.
"New rule: just don't live with your staff or bang them," a fourth GOP lawmaker told Sources Say News.
A separate looksmaxxing-inspired video featuring the congressman alongside his team — the kind of content some argued was more befitting an influencer than a sitting member of Congress — also raised eyebrows among colleagues, sparking chatter about professionalism in the office, according to several sources.
While Hamadeh's office asserts there were no inappropriate relationships with staff, the questions swirling around his office arrive at a moment when lawmakers are under increasing pressure to hold themselves and their colleagues to a higher standard.
The allegations come amid broader conversations on Capitol Hill about member misconduct with staff. Former Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) resigned following allegations of misconduct. And Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) is facing an ethics probe following allegations of an improper relationship with a staffer.
In May, the Bipartisan Task Force on Workplace Sexual Misconduct was launched, a reflection of growing concern among members and aides about the culture on Capitol Hill.
Hamadeh's office did not respond to four requests for further clarification on the living arrangement, such as the distinction between "roommate at times," “cohabitation,” and if those times overlapped, whether Hannen was paying fair market rent and other alleged office misconduct before publication.
