The dispute centers on whether Gonzales’s alleged retaliation against the staffer following the affair discovery constituted employment misconduct under federal law, and whether settlement discussions between the two sides amount to extortion.
Texas congressman Tony Gonzales on Thursday denied being “blackmailed” following a report that he allegedly had an affair with a former staffer who died after setting herself on fire in 2025. The married Republican, running for reelection in the state’s March 3 primary, claimed on social media that the deceased woman’s husband was seeking money through a potential lawsuit.
“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” Gonzales wrote in a post on the social media site X. “Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.”
The Settlement Dispute and Retaliation Claim
The San Antonio Express-News reported that it obtained text messages in which the former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, wrote to a colleague that she had an affair with the lawmaker. The Associated Press has not independently verified those messages.
Attorney Robert Barrera, representing Adrian Aviles (Santos-Aviles’s husband), discussed a potential lawsuit against Gonzales and a settlement with a nondisclosure agreement, according to an email the congressman posted online. The email said the maximum recoverable amount was $300,000.
Barrera denied seeking money through threats. “There’s no blackmail here. I mean, it’s just ridiculous allegations,” he told the AP in a phone interview Thursday.
According to Barrera, Gonzales retaliated against Santos-Aviles after discovering the alleged affair by restricting her job duties and privileges and blocking her job advancement. Gonzales did not respond to requests for comment on the retaliation allegation.
The lawsuit, if filed, would proceed under the Congressional Accountability Act, which provides legal protection for legislative-branch employees against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
The Death
Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire in her backyard at her home in Uvalde, Texas. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a suicide by self-immolation. According to Barrera, Aviles had learned about the alleged affair before his wife’s death.
Political Response
Gonzales’s district stretches from San Antonio to El Paso along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and is running for reelection in Texas’s March 3 primary, facing a challenge from Brandon Herrera, who narrowly lost to Gonzales in 2024.
Herrera called on Gonzales to resign in the wake of the report.
In a statement to the Texas Tribune this week, Gonzales described Santos-Aviles as “a kind soul who devoted her life to making the community a better place.” He said he would not “engage in these personal smears” and instead would remain focused on helping Trump secure the border and improve Texans’ lives.
Barrera said his client wants Gonzales to acknowledge the alleged affair. “There’s nothing political here. There’s no demand for him to resign,” Barrera said. “That’s up to the voters of that district, whether they want a man like Tony Gonzales to lead them into the future.”
In the U.S., the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org