The reason for Asm. Joaquin Arambula’s (D–Fresno) month-long mystery disappearance from the California State Legislature was revealed Thursday to be a stint in a rehab program for alcohol and cannabis addiction, leading his wife to file for divorce.
GV Wire was the first to report the divorce filing and the revelations on Thursday.
The big picture: Arambula’s wife, Elizabeth, filed for divorce in late January and is seeking more than $27,000 monthly in spousal and child support.
Arambula said in a court filing that he entered rehab in January and completed the program on Feb. 6.
The Sun previously reported that legislative records showed that Arambula missed five weeks of work at the Capitol as he was granted leave for illness.
Addiction issues: Elizabeth Arambula said her husband’s dependency issues have worsened over time. She said she had to drive Arambula to work because of his sobriety issues, and that government drivers would take him home. She added that Arambula cannot detach himself from video games or cope without smoking or drinking.
“When his gaming was interrupted, he became angry and irritable,” Elizabeth Arambula said in a court filing. “On a typical day, he spent much of his time using his THC pen, drinking whiskey and playing games on his iPad, taking a few meetings scattered throughout.”
She claimed that Arambula spent $4,700 on one mobile game last December.
Elizabeth Arambula also claimed that her husband only checked himself into rehab because she threatened divorce.
While in rehab, she claimed Arambula terminated her financial accounts and stripped her of financial security instead of working on his recovery.
After he exited the rehab facility, Elizabeth Arambula said she had doubts about whether her husband was truly sober, pointing to a Ring camera video of her husband handing a vape pen – used for cannabis – to a friend outside their home.
Flashback: Arambula has had a history with substance issues.
During his first bid for Assembly in 2016, a youthful arrest for driving under the influence became a flashpoint in a heated battle with former Fresno City Councilman – now Clovis Unified trustee – Clint Olivier.
Arambula was reportedly driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content of 0.15, or twice the legal limit. He was also allegedly driving over 85 miles-per-hour in a 50 miles-per-hour zone.
The future lawmaker would plead down to a wet reckless to resolve the matter.
Separately, he was arrested in 2018 for allegedly hitting his daughter hard enough to leave a bruise on her face noticeable by teachers and staff at her school. He was acquitted on a single misdemeanor charge of willful child cruelty.
Go deeper: Elizabeth Arambula claimed that her husband drained nearly $1 million from their bank accounts, canceled her credit cards, and has not provided any support since she met with a divorce lawyer.
The family earned $1.275 million in income in 2024, according to tax records provided to the court. That came from Arambula’s salary of nearly $130,000 as well as more than $1 million in capital gains.
Elizabeth Arambula asked the court to seal the records.
What they’re saying: “Recognizing that I was having difficulty dealing with the stress of my occupation and the demands made on me, I voluntarily entered an inpatient rehabilitation program on Jan. 7, 2026,” Arambula said in a court filing. “The program was designed to provide me with the skills necessary to cope with that stress.”
He said the rehab program was “extremely beneficial.”
His office told GV Wire that Arambula had been on an approved medical leave during January and is fully engaged in work.
Zoom in: According to court filings, Arambula said his wife filed for divorce after visiting him in rehab. He claimed that his wife has kept their children from him, with one of the children transferring high schools without his knowledge.
“Elizabeth is attempting to use my voluntary rehabilitation as an excuse to keep the children from me,” Arambula said in a court filing.
Elizabeth Arambula is petitioning for joint custody and asking for the court to order Arambula to refrain from alcohol and cannabis, as well as submit to drug testing. Further, Elizabeth Arambula said in a court filing that she has covered for Arambula’s “struggles with alcohol, marijuana and gaming, concealing them from our children, family, friends and his professional circle.”
What we’re watching: Arambula is running for the Fresno City Council this year, after facing term limits in the Legislature.
Prior to launching his candidacy for the seat currently held by Councilman Miguel Arias, the five-term legislator publicly revealed his ambitions to run for Mayor of Fresno.
Since launching his City Council bid, Arambula has tightly backed a slate of candidates for a variety of seats in Fresno County.
Arambula recruited social justice activist Sandra Celedon to run to replace him in the Assembly, who now faces an uphill climb against Fresno City Councilwoman Annalisa Perea.
He’s also heavily backed former Arias aide and Fresno City Council contender Ariana Martinez Lott, who is vying to succeed termed-out Councilman Nelson Esparza on the dais.
Arambula’s $5,500 was Lott’s first major contribution received for her bid and constituted 13% of all funds she raised in calendar year 2025.
The filing deadline to enter – or withdraw from – the City Council race is the close of business Friday.