Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D–Fresno) apparently failed a drug test, according to a court declaration filed by his wife, Elizabeth Arambula, in their divorce case.
Elizabeth Arambula claimed in an April 17 filing that her husband missed a drug test and subsequently submitted a diluted result, which is considered a failed test by standards the two sides agreed upon with the court.
The backstory: Joaquin Arambula checked himself into rehab for alcoholism, cannabis addiction and video game addiction, missing several weeks of work in the Legislature at the start of the year.
His wife filed for divorce on Jan. 26 while he was checked into rehab.
Elizabeth Arambula petitioned the court last month to seal all records, but that was opposed by Joaquin Arambula and rejected by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Steven Crass.
Joaquin Arambula said in previous court filings that he has volunteered to undergo drug testing.
“One law for everyone”: Elizabeth Arambula wrote in a declaration that her husband opposed her request to seal court records, saying at the time, “The Truth will set me free.”
She said she wished to have the records sealed in order to protect their three children.
“I accept this reality and therefore the protection of [Joaquin Arambula’s] political career cannot come before the health, safety, and welfare of our three daughters,” Elizabeth Arambula wrote. “Despite his position of power, [he] must be held to the same standards as everyone else who appears before this Court. One law for everyone. If that premise requires me to be more direct with this Court about my concern, so be it. I have been married to [him] for fifteen years. I know his patterns better than anyone. Therefore, I am deeply concerned that [he] will not maintain his sobriety and, without court intervention, will also fail to agree to reasonable support orders, custody orders, and the restoration of funds he took from our accounts.”
“Dirty test results”: Joaquin Arambula claimed to have “no misses” with his drug testing results, which Elizabeth Arambula says is not true.
She stated in a court filing that Joaquin Arambula missed a test and subsequently produced a negative dilute result during the week of March 24.
“By [his] own standard these are dirty test results,” Elizabeth Arambula said in the filing. She pointed to her husband’s March 30 declaration, which states that any missed, refused, diluted or tampered test shall be deemed a positive result.
She also took issue with Joaquin Arambula characterizing his testing as “random,” since he has limited his testing window to Thursday through Sunday of each week.
“Grandiose” financial situation: Much of the April 17 filings centered on Joaquin Arambula’s financial standing.
Zeppy Attashian, Elizabeth Arambula’s attorney, wrote in a declaration that Joaquin Arambula earned over $910,000 in 2022, nearly $298,000 in 2023 and over $1.27 million in 2024. She also claimed that Joaquin Arambula’s 2025 adjusted gross income of $150,047, which he reported on his tax returns, did not line up with bank deposits of over $1.7 million last year.
Elizabeth Arambula wrote in her declaration that they had an extravagant lifestyle.
“The standard of living our family maintained during the marriage was, by any fair characterization, grandiose,” she wrote. “I say this not as a boast, but as an honest description of the lifestyle [Joaquin Arambula] and I built together over fifteen years.”
She also explained her reasons for opposing Joaquin Arambula’s proposal to put $300,000 into a 529 account to cover college expenses for their children, calling it a control tactic.
“The reality is, [Joaquin Arambula] can afford to disburse funds to me as I have requested, fully fund the 529 accounts, and continue living a lifestyle where he spends excessively on himself and our daughters,” she wrote. “[He] just doesn’t want me to receive any benefit from our marriage because I chose to leave.”
Moving back home to campaign: Elizabeth Arambula addressed her husband’s claims in previous filings that she left their house “voluntarily” and that her departure was a personal choice of timing and convenience.
She said Joaquin Arambula insisted on moving back into their house from Sacramento.
“Although [Joaquin Arambula] has family he could live with during our separation, he refused,” she wrote. “In the past, [he] has lived in Sacramento for a significant part of the year, returning on weekends. Despite having someone else to live with, is consistently in Sacramento, he kicked me out claiming he needed our home for his re-election campaign as it is located in his district.”
Joaquin Arambula is not running for reelection in the Assembly, instead opting to forego one final term in office to run for Fresno City Council.
What we’re watching: The estranged couple will return to court on Friday to discuss child and spousal support.