Tony Gonzales resigned from the US House of Representatives on Tuesday after admitting to an affair with a staff member who later died by self-immolation. Pressure had been mounting for the Texas Republican to step down after sexual misconduct allegations against another congressman, Democrat Eric Swalwell of California, became public over the weekend.
As criticism of Swalwell swirled in the wake of the revelations, lawmakers opened an ethics investigation and began discussing taking action to oust him and Gonzales from Congress.
To avoid being expelled, both lawmakers submitted their resignations, effective on Tuesday. The move allows them to retain pension benefits after their departure.
Gonzales had said last month that he would not run for re-election in November, but faced pressure to leave sooner as more details emerged about his alleged wrongdoing and he faced a congressional ethics investigation.
After initially denying any misconduct, the married father-of-six confirmed he had had a relationship with married staff member Regina Santos-Aviles.
Gonzales had previously dismissed the allegations as “blackmail” and a “co-ordinated” attack to unseat him.
Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire near her home in Uvalde, Texas. The medical examiner ruled her death a suicide, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
After Gonzales admitted to the affair last month, Congress took a two-week break. Lawmakers returned this week, and swiftly began taking action against colleagues accused of wrongdoing.
On Monday they opened an ethics inquiry into the allegations against Swalwell, which range from sexual harassment to assault of a former staff member.
Swalwell dropped out tof the race for California governor on Sunday and announced his resignation on Monday, even as he denied “each and every” sexual misconduct claim against him.
“These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive – a calculated and transparent political hit job,” his attorney Sara Azari said.
In his resignation letter submitted on Tuesday, he said he was “deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgement I’ve made in my past”.
Gonzales submitted his resignation the same day.
“It has been my privilege to serve the residents of Texas’s 23rd congressional district,” his brief letter stated.
Their resignations – one from each party – do not change the balance of power in Congress, where Republicans hold a controlling majority.
By BBC News
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