U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales has publicly accused the husband of a deceased former staffer of attempting to blackmail him in connection with an alleged affair. The claims surfaced after the San Antonio Express-News reported that the staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, had confided in a colleague about an affair with Gonzales while both were married.
In a social media post on X, Gonzales asserted, “I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED. Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.” He shared a screenshot of an email that appears to show a legal representative for Santos-Aviles’ husband, Adrian Aviles, demanding a settlement of up to $300,000 in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement.
The email, which lacks a date or timestamp, is signed by Robert Barrera, the attorney representing Aviles. In an interview, Barrera stated that the unshared portion of the email outlines text messages exchanged between Santos-Aviles and Gonzales, which he believes could substantiate a sexual harassment claim if pursued in court.
Barrera chose not to disclose the complete letter to the Texas Tribune, citing confidentiality rules governing lawyer-to-lawyer communications. Instead, he described the messages as indicative of Gonzales’ inappropriate behavior, emphasizing that Santos-Aviles had made clear attempts to set boundaries.
Gonzales’ campaign and legal representatives did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Barrera accused Gonzales of ignoring the truth and suggested that evidence exists to support the claims against him.
In a statement to the Texas Tribune on March 15, 2024, Gonzales refrained from addressing the affair allegations directly but criticized his opponent in the upcoming GOP primary for exploiting the tragedy of Santos-Aviles’ death for political gain. He has consistently denied the affair allegations.
Santos-Aviles tragically died last year after setting herself on fire in Uvalde. A social media account purportedly belonging to Adrian Aviles responded to Gonzales’ claims, accusing him of being a “two-faced politician.” The post asserted, “We have never blackmailed anyone,” and accused Gonzales of evading accountability.
The email Gonzales shared suggests that Aviles’ attorney was contemplating legal action under the Congressional Accountability Act, which permits staffers to sue for discrimination, harassment, or labor violations, but Barrera expressed concern about the potential impact on Gonzales’ career.
“I don’t have a way to file it without potentially damaging his career, even if I am unsuccessful in its pursuit,” Barrera stated, indicating that protecting Aviles’ interests was his priority.
Barrera confirmed that he still possesses Santos-Aviles’ phone, containing the relevant messages, and that the decision to release them rests with Aviles. He lamented the focus on Gonzales rather than on the tragic circumstances surrounding Santos-Aviles’ death, stating, “People are ignoring the fact that this young lady is dead.”
Gonzales, a Navy veteran who has represented Texas’ 23rd Congressional District since 2021, is married and has six children. His district, the largest in the state, encompasses part of San Antonio. In his social media post, Gonzales called for the release of the police report related to Santos-Aviles’ death, which Aviles maintains is being withheld to protect their eight-year-old son.
“Nothing in that police report protects you,” Gonzales wrote. “That decision is about protecting our child’s well-being, not concealing anything improper.” He accused Aviles of spreading falsehoods to mislead constituents.
Rumors of an affair between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles have circulated since the Current Revolt reported on her death in September 2023. At the Texas Tribune Festival in November, Gonzales labeled the rumors as “completely untruthful.”
Earlier this week, the Express-News published a message in which Santos-Aviles confessed to another former staffer that she had an affair with Gonzales. The unnamed staffer denied receiving any compensation from Gonzales’ political opponents.
Adrian Aviles has since spoken out, stating that Gonzales “abused his power” and attempted to push Santos-Aviles out of her job upon learning of the affair. He recounted that their marriage suffered as a result, though they had been working towards reconciliation before her untimely death. Santos-Aviles reportedly struggled with emotional distress following the revelation of the affair, ultimately leading to her tragic decision to take her own life.
As Gonzales prepares for a challenging primary against Brandon Herrera, who narrowly lost to him in the 2024 runoff, the political stakes are high. Former Representative Quico Canseco and Marine Corps veteran Keith Barton are also in the race. Donald Trump, who endorsed Gonzales, won the district by a margin of 15 percentage points in the last election, while Democratic candidates are vying for a chance to flip the seat in the upcoming November elections.