Rep. Tony Gonzales to resign over extramarital affair with aide who died by suicide
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Rep. Tony Gonzales to resign over extramarital affair with aide who died by suicide")
Rep. Tony Gonzales had an affair with an aide and will resign over it. Photograph: (AFP)
Republican Tony Gonzales is the next Congressman to resign over sexual favours sought from an aide who died by suicide. The House Ethics Committee launched an official probe to determine whether Gonzales “engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his office”.
Rep. Tony Gonzales has announced he will resign from the US House on Tuesday, months after he revealed an extramarital affair with an aide who later died by suicide. “There is a season for everything, and God has a plan for us all,” Gonzales said in a statement Monday evening. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.” His statement came about an hour after Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, announced his own resignation from the House after numerous former staffers accused the Democrat of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault. Both resignations come in the wake of reports that the members of Congress have planned expulsion resolutions against both lawmakers this week. Gonzales was first elected in 2020 and admitted to the affair in March.
San Antonio Express-News was the first to reveal that Gonzales had an affair with an aide, and even asked the woman for nude photos, according to text messages. He finished second in the Republican primary in March, after which GOP leaders and US House Speaker Mike Johnson told him not to go ahead with a reelection bid. However, resignation or expulsion were not in the picture, and only came to the fore after Swalwell's sexual misconduct allegations emerged. Members of Congress are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with their employees. The House Ethics Committee launched an official probe to determine whether Gonzales “engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his office” and “discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favours or privileges.”
Vacant seat after Gonzales's resignation
Last week, a former staffer of the Gonzales campaign accused the then-candidate of sexual misconduct. The staffer provided text messages as evidence, alleging that Gonzales had solicited her for nude photos and sexual favours. His resignation will leave Texas’s 23rd Congressional District vacant, and Governor Greg Abbott can set a special election date.
