Rep. Tony Gonzales finally admits affair with his deceased staffer, then immediately shifts blame to her husband

Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) has admitted to having an affair with his deceased staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles. Along with the admission, he made serious allegations about her husband’s alleged sexuality and suggested it may be connected to her death. This comes after weeks of denials from the congressman.

Gonzales made this admission on a notable day; the day after he was pushed into a primary runoff election, having failed to win more than 50% of the vote. It was also the same day the House Ethics Committee announced it was forming a panel to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against him.

According to  Mediaite, the scandal first came to light after a report alleged that Gonzales had an affair with Santos-Aviles in the months before she died by self-immolation outside her home in September 2025. Prior to his admission, Gonzales had denied any improper relationship, even after alleged text messages surfaced reportedly showing him making “explicit sexual requests” to her; requests she allegedly resisted.

Gonzales admitted the affair but went further, making unverified claims about his staffer’s husband

Speaking to conservative talk show host Joe Pagliarulo, Gonzales said, “I 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.” He also said, “Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has. And my faith is as strong as ever.”

Gonzales also stated he had “absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing” and was “shocked just as much as everyone else was.” He then made allegations against Santos-Aviles’s husband, Adrian Aviles, claiming he launched a “coordinated” effort to extort him. Cases where victims predicted foul play before their deaths have drawn significant public attention in recent years.

Gonzales said that “within hours” of Santos-Aviles’s death, her “estranged husband” contacted his office asking about her death benefits and how to access her retirement fund; something Gonzales described as “eerie” and “creepy.” He further claimed that months later, Aviles’s “criminal defense attorney” reached out demanding $300,000 “or else.”

Gonzales said he would not give money to someone trying to “shake me down,” and suggested the timing of these demands, which coincided with early voting, was “coordinated” and “intentional” to apply political pressure against him.

The most striking claim came when Gonzales said the police report from Santos-Aviles’s death contained her last words. According to him, the report stated, “The female subject with burn injuries then stated her husband is gay and having an affair with her best friend.” Gonzales then said, “I wonder if that had something to do with her tragic passing.” The alleged contents of the police report have not been independently confirmed.

Five Republican House members, Reps. Lauren Boebert, Anna Paulina Luna, Nancy Mace, Thomas Massie, and Tim Burchett, have called for Gonzales to resign. He has refused to step down. Boebert has faced scrutiny of her own for calling out one politician’s misconduct while defending another’s.