{"id":192153,"date":"2026-03-05T19:35:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/192153\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T19:35:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:35:13","slug":"tony-gonzales-now-under-house-investigation-admits-to-affair-with-staffer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/192153\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Gonzales, now under House investigation, admits to affair with staffer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"U.S.U.S. Rep. Tony Gonazales appears Wednesday on Joe Pags\u2019 right-wing YouTube show. Credit: Screen Shot \/ YouTube: Joe Pags<\/p>\n

The same day the House Ethics Committee announced it\u2019s looking into his conduct, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales admitted during a Wednesday syndicated right-wing podcast that he had an affair with a staffer who later committed suicide by lighting herself on fire.<\/p>\n

Prior to his admission on Joe Pags\u2019 talk show<\/a> \u2014 which also came a day after Tuesday\u2019s primary election \u2014\u00a0Gonzales had repeatedly and vehemently denied he\u2019d had a sexual relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, who worked in his Uvalde office. <\/p>\n

\u201cI take full responsibility for those actions,\u201d Gonzales, a married father of six, told Pags, whose San Antonio-based show is carried nationwide. \u201cSince then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I\u2019ve asked God to forgive me, which he has. And my faith is as strong as ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

The House Ethics Committee revealed Wednesday<\/a> it will assemble a panel to investigate whether the congressman, who represents a wide swath of the U.S.-Mexico border, \u201cengaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his congressional office\u201d and \u201cdiscriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate the opportunity to provide all the facts and all the details that lead to exactly what occurred in the entire situation,\u201d Gonzales said of the inquiry. <\/p>\n

Gonzales\u2019 appearance on the program comes as he faces a 12-week runoff campaign to retain the seat he\u2019s held for three terms. He finished just behind Brandon \u201cAK Guy\u201d Herrera, a YouTube gun influencer who\u2019s made the congressman\u2019s relationship with Santos-Aviles a key part of his campaign. Neither secured more than half the vote, however. <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot has changed recently,\u201d Herrera told the Current<\/a> on election night. \u201cVoters are finding out exactly who their congressman is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dodges and denials<\/p>\n

Although Gonzales owned up to the affair in Wednesday\u2019s interview, describing it a \u201clapse in judgement,\u201d he denied that he showered favorable treatment to Santos-Aviles, who remained on his payroll until her death. He said a pay raise and bonus he awarded her preceded the affair. <\/p>\n

Gonzales also said he had \u201cabsolutely nothing\u201d to do with Santos-Aviles\u2019 death, citing a police report in which the badly injured woman told emergency responders that her husband was having an affair with her best friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder if that had something to do with her tragic passing,\u201d Gonzales said.<\/p>\n

Several lawmakers from Gonzales\u2019 own party have called on him to resign<\/a> in the wake of the salacious reports about his conduct. Those include the Express-News\u2019 unearthing of text messages in which Santos-Aviles told Gonzales his requests for sexy photos and dirty talk went \u201ctoo far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonzales declined to tell Pags whether the texts were real. However, he said the timing of reports about his affair were designed to derail his campaign. Further, he remained defiant that he won\u2019t give up his seat or suspend his reelection effort. <\/p>\n

\u201cThose that are asking for me not to do my job are the ones that want to see the Republicans fail here in Congress,\u201d Gonzales said. \u201cThere\u2019s no time. We can\u2019t let anything slow us down from executing President Trump\u2019s agenda.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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