{"id":2571574,"date":"2026-02-19T18:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T23:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tony-gonzales-accuses-dead-staffers-husband-of-blackmail\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T18:02:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T23:02:04","slug":"tony-gonzales-accuses-dead-staffers-husband-of-blackmail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tony-gonzales-accuses-dead-staffers-husband-of-blackmail\/","title":{"rendered":"Tony Gonzales accuses dead staffer&#8217;s husband of blackmail"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftony-gonzales-accuses-dead-staffers-husband-of-blackmail%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2571574&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales,a Republican from Texas,says he is being blackmailed by Adrian Aviles,husband of Regina Santos-Aviles\u2014the former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-one-in-six-biden-voters-would-have-changed-their-vote-if-they-had-known-about-scandals-suppressed-by-media\/\" title=\"Poll: One In Six Biden Voters Would Have Changed Their Vote If They Had Known About Scandals Suppressed By Media\">staffer<\/a> who died after setting herself on fire. Aviles allegedly demanded a $300,000 settlement. Gonzales tweeted, \u201cI WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,\u201d and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >urged <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-dept-sides-with-u-k-after-chinas-bbc-ban\/\" title=\"State Dept. sides with U.K. after China\u2019s BBC ban\">full access<\/a><\/a> to the Uvalde Police report while continuing his TX-23 campaign. Aviles denied the accusation, accusing Gonzales of evasion and falsehoods to protect his image, and suggesting a broader pattern of misconduct. The article also notes allegations of an affair between Gonzales and Regina Santos-Aviles, which the San antonio Express-News reported; Gonzales has denied the affair. Regina Santos-Aviles\u2019 death was ruled a suicide by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">police<\/a>. The piece places these events in the context of Gonzales\u2019 primary race, where he faces challenger Brandon Herrera ahead of the Texas primary on March 3.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Tony Gonzales accuses dead staffer&rsquo;s husband of blackmail<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2503408\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tony-gonzales\/\">Rep. Tony Gonzales<\/a> (R-TX) claimed on Thursday he was being blackmailed by the husband of a former staffer who died by setting herself on fire. <\/p>\n<p>Gonzales posted a note on X from the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lawyers\/\">lawyer<\/a> of Adrian Aviles, the widower of former congressional staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, requesting a $300,000 settlement.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4464034\/democrat-juliana-stratton-illinois-senate-trump-ad\/\">Democrat Juliana Stratton gets direct in Illinois Senate ad: &#8216;F*** Trump&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4463968\/tim-scott-georgia-gop-narrow-senate-candidates-ossoff\/\">Tim Scott urges Georgia GOP to narrow down Senate candidates in fight against Ossoff<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4463494\/colorado-democrats-national-redistricting-war-proposal-flip-three-red-seats\/\">Colorado Democrats jump into national redistricting war with proposal to flip three red seats blue<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,&rdquo; Gonzales <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TonyGonzales4TX\/status\/2024522979346890877\">wrote on X<\/a>. &ldquo;Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death. The public should IMMEDIATELY have full access to the Uvalde Police report. I will keep fighting for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/TX23?src=hashtag_click\">#TX23<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED. Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death. The public should IMMEDIATELY have full access to the Uvalde Police report. I will keep fighting for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TX23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TX23<\/a> &#127482;&#127480; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/L0OSrUpcWF\">pic.twitter.com\/L0OSrUpcWF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TonyGonzales4TX\/status\/2024522979346890877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Aviles responded promptly to the post, denying the allegation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have never blackmailed anyone,&rdquo; Aviles wrote in response. &ldquo;What we&rsquo;ve seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image. You&rsquo;re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is convenient to save face.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Adrian Aviles here Regina&rsquo;s husband.<\/p>\n<p>We have never blackmailed anyone. What we&rsquo;ve seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image. You&rsquo;re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adrian Aviles (@Adrianaviles830) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Adrianaviles830\/status\/2024530266480345234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Aviles told the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expressnews.com\/news\/article\/tony-gonzales-santos-aviles-affair-husband-21360950.php\"><em>San Antonio Express-News<\/em><\/a>  that Gonzales engaged in an affair with his wife, who was the congressman&rsquo;s regional district director. The outlet had previously published a&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expressnews.com\/news\/article\/tony-gonzales-affair-regina-santos-aviles-21357720.php\">text message<\/a>, shared by a former Gonzales staffer, in which Santos-Aviles acknowledged the affair.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Last year, authorities said&nbsp;Santos-Aviles poured gasoline on herself outside her home and set herself on fire, and she died the next day at a hospital in San Antonio. Police ruled the death a suicide.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4463344\/husband-tony-gonzales-staffer-calls-accountability\/\"><strong>HUSBAND OF TONY GONZALES STAFFER WHO DIED BY SUICIDE CALLS ON REPUBLICAN TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Gonzales has denied the affair. The three-term congressman is facing a heated primary challenge from Second Amendment activist Brandon Herrera. Gonzales narrowly defeated Herrera in 2024 for the Republican nomination.<\/p>\n<p>The Texas primary is slated for March 3. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gonzales says dead staffer&#8217;s husband blackmailed him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2571575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP23318710199344-e1771539214313.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548,33651],"tags":[5609,9950,5894,6566,74120],"class_list":["post-2571574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily","category-the-western-journal","tag-allegations","tag-blackmail","tag-politics","tag-staffer","tag-tony-gonzales-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP23318710199344-e1771539214313.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2571574"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571574\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2571578,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571574\/revisions\/2571578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2571575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2571574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2571574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2571574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}