Rep. Tony Gonzales admits to affair with former staffer, calling it a "mistake"

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Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas acknowledged for the archetypal clip Wednesday that helium had a narration with a erstwhile staffer who aboriginal died by suicide, but alleged the contention that has engulfed the concern is "about powerfulness and money."

"I made a mistake, and I had a lapse successful judgment, and determination was a deficiency of faith, and I instrumentality afloat work for those actions," helium told conservative vigor big Joe Pags erstwhile asked if the alleged matter took place. "Since then, I've reconciled with my wife, Angel. I've asked God to forgive me, which helium has, and my religion is arsenic beardown arsenic ever."

CBS News has obtained a substance exchange from May 2024 successful which Gonzales sent explicit messages to erstwhile staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, asking her to nonstop a "sexy pic." At 1 point, Gonzales responds: "This is going excessively acold boss." CBS News has besides obtained a connection successful which Santos-Aviles told a colleague: "I had matter with our brag and I'm fine."

Santos-Aviles died successful September 2025 aft mounting herself connected fire. Her decease was ruled a suicide.

Gonzales said successful Wednesday's interview: "I had perfectly thing to bash with her tragic passing. And successful fact, I was shocked conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic everyone else."

The lawmaker spoke to Pags 1 time aft the GOP primary successful his House territory on the U.S.-Mexico border. Gonzales and hard-right challenger Brandon Herrera volition some beforehand to a runoff predetermination successful May aft neither campaigner cleared 50% of the vote.

He besides spoke retired conscionable hours aft the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into whether Gonzales "engaged successful intersexual misconduct" with an worker oregon "discriminated unfairly by dispensing peculiar favors oregon privileges."

The House of Representatives' code of conduct says lawmakers "may not prosecute successful a intersexual narration with immoderate worker of the House who works nether the supervision of the Member." It besides bans "unwelcome intersexual advances oregon conduct" toward staff.

Since the substance messages were made public, Gonzales has faced calls to resign from members of some parties.

In Wednesday's interview, Gonzales suggested that helium doesn't mean to resign and said helium expects to triumph the GOP primary, noting that it's the 3rd clip helium has faced a superior runoff. In 2024, Gonzales defeated Herrera by astir 400 votes.

Gonzales did not connection galore specifics connected his narration with Santos-Aviles oregon remark connected the evident substance messages betwixt him and the staffer, saying, "I'll fto the probe play out." But helium said, "there's a full batch much to the story."

Asked if helium understands wherefore radical whitethorn beryllium acrophobic astir a narration betwixt a brag and a subordinate, Gonzales acknowledged that "it is important that we person the conversation, you know, connected workplace situation and making definite that definite things bash not instrumentality place."

But the congressman besides argued that media sum of the allegations has been skewed, and suggested the contention is coordinated and politicized.

"From time one, this has been astir powerfulness and money," Gonzales told Pags, saying that radical person "been attacking maine for months connected this."

Gonzales besides said: "At nary clip was she reprimanded oregon rewarded successful immoderate signifier oregon manner different than anyone other successful the office." He said a rise that Santos-Aviles received was portion of a "staff-wide wage increase."

In the past, Gonzales has denied having an affair with Santos-Aviles. He has besides suggested her hubby is attempting to blackmail him, posting a missive to X past period successful which her husband's lawyer appeared to question a $300,000 colony with the congressman.

Gonzales reiterated immoderate of those allegations Wednesday, saying Santos-Aviles' hubby — Adrian Aviles — was "trying to shingle maine down."

Aviles' attorney, Bobby Barrera, has antecedently denied the extortion claims to CBS News, calling it a modular confidential colony missive and accusing Gonzales of "trying to play the victim."

Santos-Aviles and her husband, Adrian Aviles, had an 8-year-old son. Aviles said successful an interrogation with CBS News past month: "You ended a household due to the fact that of your predatorial instincts."

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is successful affectional distress oregon a suicidal crisis, you tin scope the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling oregon texting 988. You tin also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.

For much accusation astir intelligence wellness attraction resources and support, The National Alliance connected Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine tin beryllium reached Monday done Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern Time astatine 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) oregon email info@nami.org.

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