Johnson: Allegations against Gonzales are "detestable" but "we're trying to sort it out"

House Speaker Mike Johnson says the allegations against GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales regarding an matter with a staffer who aboriginal died by suicide "detestable," but helium says "we're trying to benignant it out." 

"My knowing is he's denied a batch of this, and we're trying to benignant it out," Johnson told "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil successful an exclusive interview up of President Trump's State of the Union code Tuesday night. "Now, it has been reported that the Office of Congressional Conduct is investigating this, and has been for immoderate time. And what we bash here is we let each the facts to play out." 

Months earlier her death, the aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, revealed the alleged matter with the Texas congressman successful a substance connection to a workfellow that was published past week. Other substance exchanges  betwixt Santos-Aviles and Gonzales that came to airy Monday showed Gonzales asking Santos-Aviles for a "sexy pic" and contained different intersexual banter. 

Gonzales faces respective challengers successful the March 3 Republican primary, and past week, helium accused 1 of his challengers of spreading the matter allegations. Gonzales was endorsed by the GOP run arm, but Johnson noted Tuesday that was "before immoderate of this came up."

"Of course, he's an incumbent," Johnson told Dokoupil. "We've made an endorsement of Tony Gonzales backmost successful the autumn —  earlier immoderate of this came up. The allegations are — I mean, it's detestable what is being alleged." 

Santos-Aviles died successful September 2025 aft lighting herself connected fire, according to an autopsy report. She was joined and has an 8-year-old son. 

Gonzales has antecedently denied having an affair, and he alleges helium is being extorted by Santos-Aviles' widower. Gonzales is joined and has six children. 

He insisted Tuesday that helium would not resign, contempt calls from immoderate wrong his ain party. He and Johnson met Tuesday aft Johnson spoke to Dokoupil. 

"I volition not resign, I enactment each time for the radical of Texas," Gonzales told reporters astatine the Capitol connected Tuesday. "There volition beryllium an accidental for each the details and the facts to travel out. What you've seen are not each the facts."