Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - US congressman Tony Gonzales is facing fresh allegations of inappropriate conduct after reports that he sent explicit messages to a former campaign staffer.
According to a report, text messages from June 2020
allegedly show the congressman repeatedly asking his campaign’s then-political
director for nude photos and making s3xually explicit remarks.
The unnamed staffer claimed the messages included questions
about her clothing and persistent requests for explicit content, despite her
refusal. She said the exchanges made her uncomfortable, though she did not
resign immediately and later left the team after Gonzales took office in
January 2021.
The report stated that hundreds of messages were reviewed
and linked to the congressman’s phone. The staffer said no physical
relationship occurred, adding: “We didn’t so much as touch.”
She explained that she decided to speak out following the
death of another staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who had previously been in a
relationship with Gonzales. According to the report, Santos-Aviles died by
suic!de last year. The unnamed staffer alleged that Gonzales had similarly
pursued her.
Gonzales has acknowledged the relationship with
Santos-Aviles, describing it as a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgment.”
Following the controversy, he has withdrawn from his re-election bid, and a
congressional ethics committee has launched an investigation to determine
whether he violated official conduct rules.
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