️ US Congressman Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, has admitted to having an extramarital affair with an aide, after previously denying the allegations. The 45-year-old Gonzales, who is married with six children, described the relationship with married staff member Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year, as a "mistake" and a "lapse in judgement," stating, "I take full responsibility for my actions."

️ Gonzales's admission came hours after the House of Representatives Ethics Committee launched an investigation into the relationship and ahead of a primary run-off election that will determine whether he remains the Republican candidate for his congressional district. He had earlier dismissed the allegations as "blackmail" and a "co-ordinated" attack to unseat him. The primary race between Gonzales and rival Brandon Herrera is headed to a May run-off after neither candidate crossed the 50% vote threshold earlier this week.

️ Republican leadership in Congress has called on Gonzales to end his re-election campaign. In a joint statement from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and other top Republicans, it was stated: "We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election." This move highlights the internal pressure within the Republican Party as it grapples with the scandal ahead of the midterm elections.

️ Gonzales's aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire near her home in Uvalde, Texas. The medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. Gonzales told conservative podcaster Joe Pags that Santos-Aviles's death had nothing to do with the affair, claiming she was "thriving" at work. However, Santos-Aviles's lawyer, Bobby Barrera, told CBS News in a recent interview that her mental health sharply declined following the end of her alleged relationship with the congressman, and that "the deterioration of her mental state was exacerbated by the conduct Tony engaged in - the workplace harassment after the discovery of the affair."

️ The House Ethics Committee announced it is investigating whether Gonzales "engaged in sexual misconduct" toward an employee and whether he discriminated unfairly by "dispensing special favours or privileges." Gonzales said in the podcast interview that he did not reward Santos-Aviles more than other staff, and that a pay rise she received was part of a "staff-wide pay increase." He added that "there's a whole lot more to the story" but did not provide details. According to CBS, explicit text messages from May 2024 show Gonzales asking Santos-Aviles to send a "sexy pic," with her reportedly telling him twice that he had gone "too far."

Source: www.bbc.com