GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales has confessed to having an affair with an aide who died by suicide.
The married father-of-six called it a “lapse in judgment” and said he takes “full responsibility for those actions.”
The Texas congressman’s admission comes after the House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation into the affair on Wednesday.
Gonzales, 45, had previously tried to dismiss the affair allegations as “blackmail” and “coordinated political attacks” meant to unseat him.
But recently revealed text messages show that Gonzales pressured Santos-Aviles to send him a “sexy pic” and questioned her about her favorite sexual position despite her warning he had gone “too far.”
The congressman appeared on the MAGA-friendly podcast The Joe Pags Show to come clean about the affair the day after he was forced into a primary runoff election against YouTuber Brandon Herrera when he failed to get more than 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primaries.
Gonzales told Pags that he had reconciled with his wife and said, “I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has.”
He also addressed the death of his one-time regional district director, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, who set herself on fire in September after her husband, Adrian Aviles, learned of her affair with Gonzales.
But Gonzales claimed that Santos-Aviles, a mother of an eight-year-old boy, was “thriving at work” and said her death came as a shock.
“I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing and in fact I was shocked just as much as everyone else was,” he said. He claimed he hadn’t spoken to Santos-Aviles for over a year before her death.
Gonzales lashed out at “the media” and said he had been the target of a “coordinated attack,” claiming that Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrian Aviles, was trying to blackmail him.
Last month, Aviles went public with his late wife’s texts with Gonzales, which he shared with the San Antonio Express-News.
The texts show that Gonzales messaged Santos-Aviles just after midnight on May 9, 2024: “Send me a sexy pic.”
Santos-Aviles responded that she was having a rough week and “you don’t really want a hot picture of me.”
That did not dissuade Gonzales, who wrote back, ”Yes I do,” and “Hurry.”
Santos-Aviles still refused: “No, I just don’t like taking pictures of myself.”
“I’m just such a visual person,” Gonzales answered, before continuing to press Santos-Aviles to sext him.
He asked her what her favorite sexual position was, described one he wanted to try with her, and, even after her initial refusal and warning that “this is going too far boss,” still asked, “What do you like?”
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
