Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales says he will retire from Congress after affair scandal
Rep. Tony Gonzales said he will retire from Congress after an affair scandal involving a former staffer who later died by suicide, becoming the second lawmaker in a day to announce his exit from the House.
“When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,” Gonzales, a Texas Republican, said in a statement on Monday. “It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
The announcement followed a Texas Tribune report in February about Gonzales’ affair with former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide after setting herself on fire. Gonzales acknowledged the relationship in a March 4 radio interview after initially denying it, calling it a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgment.”
He dropped his reelection bid the next day but said at the time he would remain in office through the end of his term. The reports and his admission brought new pressure on Gonzales, who had already advanced to a Republican primary runoff in his reelection race.
The House Ethics Committee also opened an investigation after the reports, adding to calls for Gonzales to step aside.
His announcement came just after Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, said he would resign over sexual assault allegations.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
