WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said Monday he will retire from Congress after bipartisan calls to expel him.<\/p>\n
Gonzales had already said he would not seek reelection<\/a> after admitting to an affair with a staff member who had later died by suicide. His retirement announcement came just hours after Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell<\/a> of California said he would be resigning from Congress as he also confronted allegations of sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n House Republican leaders had already called on the three-term Gonzales to not seek reelection as they try to hold on to a strongly Republican district in November\u2019s midterm elections. And the House Ethics Committee had initiated an investigation. Under House ethics rules, lawmakers may not engage in a sexual relationship with any employee of the House under their supervision.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,\u201d Gonzales said in a social media post. \u201cWhen Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office.\u201d<\/p>\n He said it has been a privilege \u201cto serve the great people of Texas.\u201d He gave no further details on his plans to step down. Previously, he had insisted he would serve out the remainder of his term as the GOP works to hold its slim House majority.<\/p>\n Last month, the top Republican and Democratic members on the House Ethics Committee said in a joint statement that an investigative panel would look into whether Gonzales engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office and whether he discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.<\/p>\n That announcement came the same day that Gonzales,<\/a> appearing on the \u201cJoe Pags Show,\u201d<\/a> was asked if he had a relationship with the aide, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles.<\/p>\n \u201cI made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,\u201d Gonzales said.<\/p>\n Gonzales went on to say he had reconciled with his wife and had asked God to forgive him. He also said he looked forward to the Ethics Committee investigation.<\/p>\n But as lawmakers returned from a two-week break on Monday, there was a growing clamor among members to take a stand against alleged sexual misconduct. Swalwell\u2019s alleged transgressions brought renewed attention to the issue.<\/p>\n Comments from lawmakers on social media suggested some were open to an expulsion trade-off of sorts that would affect each party equally. <\/p>\n Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., said both Gonzales and Swalwell \u201care not fit to serve in Congress given their sexual transgressions against women who work for them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s already been a resolution announced to expel Swalwell that I will support. I will introduce a resolution to expel Rep. Gonzales,\u201d Leger Fernandez said.<\/p>\n In a separate post that came after the Texas lawmaker made his retirement announcement, she challenged Gonzales to make it \u201ceffective immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe has until 2PM tomorrow \u2014 when we will file his expulsion,\u201d she said on X. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Republican Rep. 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