A Texas congressman, who is married, has come forward to acknowledge an affair with a senior aide, who tragically died after setting herself on fire. This admission comes four months after the Daily Mail brought the scandal to light.
Tony Gonzales revealed the affair during a Wednesday interview, where he also made startling accusations, claiming that the aide’s husband had been unfaithful with her best friend. He further alleged that the husband demanded $300,000 from him following her untimely death.
The confession follows pressure from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who urged Gonzales to be transparent as the House initiated an investigation. This probe is due to the violation of House rules, which prohibit Congress members from engaging in relationships with their staff.
‘I made a mistake,’ Gonzales told a conservative talk show host.
Gonzales admitted, “I had a lapse in judgment and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions.”
The congressman, who is serving his third term, faces mounting demands from his party to own up to his actions. This comes just a day after he was pushed into a runoff in the Republican Primary, jeopardizing his congressional seat.
In his statement, Gonzales clarified, “I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing,” during the interview.
Gonzales did not deny the affair when Daily Mail asked him about the affair in October– just weeks after Aviles’ horrific death.
However, he lied in November, telling reporters that the rumors were not true and questioning Daily Mail’s reporting.
Aviles, 35, poured gasoline over herself before becoming engulfed in flames at her home on September 13 in Uvalde, Texas – about two hours west of San Antonio.
US Rep. Tony Gonzales finally admitted Wednesday night to having an affair with his staffer, Regina Aviles. The admission comes months after Daily Mail first confirmed the affair and after the Texas Congressman denied he had a romantic relationship with his employee
Congressman Tony Gonzales hosted Elon Musk in September 2023 as he toured the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. The aide he allegedly had an affair with, Regina Aviles, can been seen on the right of Musk
The married mother-of-one, who was separated from her husband at the time of her death, had served as Gonzales’s regional district director in Uvalde since 2021.
Last week, Aviles’s husband, Adrian, released text messages between his wife and Gonzales from 2024.
In the messages, the Texas Republican pressed his employee for sexy pics.
Even though Aviles twice texted ‘This is going too far,’ he pushed on, asking about her favorite sexual positions including if she liked ‘an-l.’
Adrian told Daily Mail in his first interview that he felt Gonzales had abused his position of power over his wife to pressure her into a romantic relationship.
At one point, she asked him if he was sober, as the inappropriate conversation was happening at nearly 1 am.
The relationship went on for at least a year before Gonzales’s entire office found out about it when Adrian discovered their entanglement.
Adrian messaged several Gonzales and several senior staffers letting them know he knew what was going on.
Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who burned herself to death
Regina Aviles, 35, died after dousing herself with gasoline and setting fire to herself in September 2025
Gonzales, a Navy veteran, campaigned as a devoted family man. His is pictured here with his wife, Angel, and six kids
Gonzales claims he welcomes the investigation into his affair.
