Embattled South Texas U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales on Thursday fired off tweet accusing the husband of a deceased woman who once worked in his office of trying to blackmail him.
That woman, Regina Santos-Aviles, is the same staffer an Express-News report from Tuesday accused the Republican congressman of having an affair with prior to her suicide. She died in September after setting herself on fire outside her Uvalde home.
“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” Gonzales tweeted Thursday morning. “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 #TX23.”
In the tweet, Gonzales included a screenshot of a message purportedly sent by attorney Robert Barrera, who’s representing Santos-Aviles’ husband, Adrian Aviles. In the attached correspondence, Barrera writes that he’s considering weighing a lawsuit against Gonzales that could be “damaging to his career.”
“That is clearly not my goal or we would have filed this claim already,” Barrera writes. “That being said, I am back to my original offer of settlement with a Non-Disclosure [stet] agreement.”
Although Barrera’s message doesn’t lay out a precise settlement offer, the attorney states that, under the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA), the “maximum recoverable amount” for congressional staffers who sue after facing discrimination, harassment or labor violations at work is $300,000. Due to deadlines outlined in the CAA, “time is of the essence,” Barrera adds.
“If you are well enough to visit I would be happy to do so,” Barrera continues. “If not, if you or your staff could let me know with whom I should be conferring that would be great. I hope its [stet] you!”
The Express-News report accusing Gonzales — a married “family first” Republican with six kids — of having an affair with his staffer was the third and deepest-reported story from a news outlet seeking to romantically link the pair. Right-wing blog Current Revolt was first, followed by Britain’s The Daily Mail.
“Tony abused his power,” Santos-Aviles’ husband told the Express-News in an interview. “He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader.”
Aviles also took to social media platform X Thursday morning to dispute Gonzales’ blackmail allegation. He blasted the congressman of refusing to take accountability and accused him of lying.
“You’re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is convenient to save face,” Aviles tweeted.
Gonzales’ scandal comes as he’s locked in the Republican primary for Texas’s 23rd Congressional district. The three-term congressman faces two other candidates in that contest, including Brandon Herrera, a gun-influencer who narrowly lost to Gonzales two years ago in a runoff.
“You are guilty and should resign,” Herrera commented on Gonzales’ post.
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