{"id":2572079,"date":"2026-02-20T16:54:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gonzales-under-inquiry-over-alleged-affair-with-staffer-who-set-herself-on-fire\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T16:55:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:55:49","slug":"gonzales-under-inquiry-over-alleged-affair-with-staffer-who-set-herself-on-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gonzales-under-inquiry-over-alleged-affair-with-staffer-who-set-herself-on-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Gonzales under inquiry over alleged affair with staffer who set herself on fire"},"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\">26<\/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%2Fgonzales-under-inquiry-over-alleged-affair-with-staffer-who-set-herself-on-fire%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=2572079&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>Rep.Tony Gonzales (R-TX) is under an ethics investigation by the Office of Congressional Conduct over alleged involvement with his wife and former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tony-gonzales-staffer-dies-after-catching-on-fire-at-home\/\" title=\"... dies after catching on fire at home\">regional district director<\/a>, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year after a nearby incident. The investigation sought emails, texts, instant messages, and voicemails from January 2023 to September 2025 and planned to interview people connected to the case, according to a letter dated November 25, 2025. NBC News later reported that the OCC had concluded the inquiry but could not forward its report to the House Ethics Committee as of a 60-day pre-election window; Gonzales\u2019s primary election was approaching. Gonzales has denied the affair and suggested he was being blackmailed by Santos-Aviles\u2019s husband, who allegedly sought a $300,000 settlement. The article notes Gonzales is facing a primary challenge from Brandon Herrera.  <\/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 under ethics investigation over alleged affair with staffer who died by suicide<\/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_2511691\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The Office of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congressional<\/a> Conduct opened an investigation into Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tony-gonzales\/\">Tony Gonzales&rsquo;s<\/a> (R-TX) alleged affair with a staffer who died by setting herself on fire.<\/p>\n<p>A letter obtained by the <em>San Antonio Express-News<\/em> showed investigators sought <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-staff-told-us-he-misspoke-joe-biden-confuses-his-agenda-in-60-minutes-interview-so-his-staff-steps-in-to-correct-the-record-video\/\" title=\"&quot;Biden&#039;s Staff Told Us He Misspoke&quot; - Joe Biden Confuses His Agenda in 60 Minutes Interview so His Staff Steps in to Correct the Record (VIDEO)\">text messages<\/a>, emails, and other <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expressnews.com\/news\/article\/tony-gonzales-house-ethics-investigation-affair-21369226.php\">communications about the relationship<\/a>, asking Adrian Aviles, the widower of former congressional staffer Regina Santos-Aviles,&nbsp;to provide any information he had on the affair last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4465170\/don-bacon-trump-tariffs-supreme-court-congress\/\">Republican Don Bacon warns Trump: No tariff bailout coming from Congress<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4464673\/comer-real-bad-people-epstein-emails-conviction\/\">Comer says &#8216;real bad people&#8217; spoke to Epstein post-conviction, insists files absolve Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4464534\/hot-mic-les-wexner-lawyer-kill-you-epstein\/\">Hot mic catches Wexner&#8217;s lawyer threatening him over lengthy answers: &#8216;I&#8217;ll f***ing kill you&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The office requested &ldquo;emails, text messages, instant messages, and voicemails&rdquo; from January 2023 to September 2025, and it said investigators were seeking to interview people involved. The letter, sent on Nov. 25, 2025, reportedly shows the investigation had begun earlier than that month, as it needed to clear other thresholds before contacting Aviles.<\/p>\n<p>NBC News reported Friday afternoon that the OCC concluded its investigation but <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/rep-tony-gonzales-faces-ethics-investigation-alleged-affair-ahead-toug-rcna259799\">cannot transmit its report<\/a> to the House Ethics Committee because it falls within a 60-day window before an election, as Gonzales&rsquo;s primary election is just less than two weeks away.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities said&nbsp;Santos-Aviles poured gasoline on herself outside her home and set herself on fire, and died the next day at a hospital in San Antonio last year. Police ruled the death a suicide.<\/p>\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>&nbsp;earlier this week 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.<\/p>\n<p>Gonzales claimed he is being blackmailed by the husband, posting a note on X from the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lawyers\/\">lawyer<\/a>&nbsp;of Aviles requesting a $300,000 settlement. Aviles responded promptly to the post, denying the allegation.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" 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>The Texas Republican 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, with the 2026 primary slated for March 3.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to Gonzales&rsquo;s office and the Office of Congressional Conduct for comment.<\/p>\n<p><em>Rachel Schilke contributed to this article.<\/em><\/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 ethics probe over staffer affair suicide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2572080,"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\/2023\/11\/ap23063031444011-scaled-e1771617094499.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[74246,14073,8271],"class_list":["post-2572079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-alleged-affair-2","tag-gonzales","tag-inquiry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ap23063031444011-scaled-e1771617094499.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572079","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=2572079"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2572083,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572079\/revisions\/2572083"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2572080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}