Tony Gonzales is facing new allegations of misconduct following reports that he sent explicit messages to a former campaign staffer.
According to the report, text messages from June 2020 allegedly show the congressman repeatedly requesting nude photos from his campaign’s then–political director and making sexually explicit remarks.
The unnamed staffer said the messages included questions about her clothing and persistent requests for explicit content despite her refusals. She noted that the exchanges made her uncomfortable, though she did not immediately resign and later left the team after Gonzales assumed office in January 2021.
The report claims that hundreds of messages were reviewed and traced to the congressman’s phone. The staffer emphasized that no physical relationship occurred, stating, “We didn’t so much as touch.”
She said she chose to come forward after 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 suicide last year, and the unnamed staffer alleged that Gonzales had also pursued her in a similar manner.
Gonzales has acknowledged his relationship with Santos-Aviles, describing it as a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgment.” Amid the controversy, he has withdrawn from his re-election bid, while a congressional ethics committee has opened an investigation to determine whether he violated official conduct rules.
