Rep. Tony Gonzales is now under formal scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee, which on Wednesday opened an investigation into allegations he sexually mistreated a staffer and showed favoritism in his office. The Texas Republican, in Congress since 2021, is accused of pursuing a sexual relationship with former aide Regina Santos-Aviles and pressuring her for explicit photos, according to text messages cited by local media, Politico reports. Gonzales has denied wrongdoing. Santos-Aviles, who was married, died by self-immolation in September.
In a statement, the committee said it had opened an investigation into whether Gonzales violated the code of conduct "with respect to allegations that he may have: (1) engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his congressional office; and/or (2) discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges." The timing is politically fraught: Gonzales is headed to a May 23 GOP runoff after failing to clinch his party's nomination on Tuesday. He will face firearms YouTuber Brandon Herrara, who lost to Gonzales by 354 votes out of almost 30,000 in a runoff two years ago, CNN reports.
House rules bar members from having sexual relationships or unwelcome sexual contact with staff, and the bipartisan ethics panel can recommend discipline—but rarely moves quickly. Past cases involving Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Met Gala appearance and Rep. Mike Kelly's stock-trade controversy took years to resolve. Speaker Mike Johnson has said Gonzales is entitled to due process and has signaled he would watch the electoral outcome before weighing in further. Other GOP lawmakers have called for Gonzales to step down, as has former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
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