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‘I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED’: Republican Accused of Having Affair With Aide Who Killed Herself Speaks Out
Mediaite ^ | February 19, 2026 | Zachary Leeman

Posted on 02/19/2026 12:15:13 PM PST by Miami Rebel

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) declared on Thursday that he “WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED” following a report suggesting an aide committed suicide after an alleged affair with the congressman.

“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED. Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death. The public should IMMEDIATELY have full access to the Uvalde Police report,” Gonzales wrote on X.

The congressman included a message from a lawyer offering a non-disclosure agreement and settlement.

I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED. 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 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/L0OSrUpcWF

— Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) February 19, 2026

The San-Antonio Express News first published a recent report in which a former Gonzales staffer claimed that 35-year-old Regina Ann Santos-Aviles suffered depression after her alleged affair with Gonzales was discovered in text messages. She set herself on fire and committed suicide in September 2025.

In an April 2025 text, she acknowledged the affair, according to a screenshot of an alleged message.

“I had [an] affair with our boss and I’m fine,” one screenshot read, according to the New York Post.

“It’s shameful that [primary rival] Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started,” Gonzales, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump in December, told the Post.

Daily Mail and others have also reported on the alleged affair, long before Express News published the staffer’s comments.

Adrian Aviles, the husband of the deceased staffer, told Express News he discovered the alleged affair when he caught his wife texting the congressman in May 2024. The relationship, he said, was “very sexual” based on the messages exchanged.

“I said the truth would come to light when it’s time, and the time is now,” he said. “Tony abused his power. He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader.”


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: brandonherrera; democratpolitics; dirtypolitics; familyvalues; gonzalez; leftistsource; mediaite; moralmajority; reginasantosaviles; tds; texas; tonygonzales; uvalde; zacharyleeman
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Every few years, there's a sad story like this about a congressional staffer either murdered or the victim of suicide.

The only reason I post this is because Gonzalez has now publicly responded, and because the GOP House majority is in such a parlous state nowadays.

1 posted on 02/19/2026 12:15:13 PM PST by Miami Rebel
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To: Miami Rebel
Gonzales, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump

Yet another bad endorsement ...

I hate "endorsements".

2 posted on 02/19/2026 12:17:29 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Miami Rebel

Wonder how many women killed herself after being raped by Clinton?.


3 posted on 02/19/2026 12:22:17 PM PST by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
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To: Miami Rebel

“The San-Antonio Express News first published a recent report in which a former Gonzales staffer claimed that 35-year-old Regina Ann Santos-Aviles suffered depression after her alleged affair with Gonzales was discovered in text messages. She set herself on fire and committed suicide in September 2025.” That’s kind of weird Tony.


4 posted on 02/19/2026 12:24:11 PM PST by kawhill (Dywedwch Wrthym + Add translation Welsh-English dictionary 'Tell Us')
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To: Miami Rebel

Let’s Go Brandon !


5 posted on 02/19/2026 12:25:57 PM PST by Texas_Jarhead
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To: Miami Rebel

Tx 23. Half the border.


6 posted on 02/19/2026 12:28:38 PM PST by stanne
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To: Miami Rebel

Folks, she set herself on fire at her home, in her garden.

What a terrible way to go.


7 posted on 02/19/2026 12:30:39 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: Miami Rebel
“It’s shameful that [primary rival] Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started,” Gonzales, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump in December, told the Post.

 

Brandon Herrera AKA the AK Guy

8 posted on 02/19/2026 12:33:36 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: Miami Rebel

Weird how what the rest of us call ACCOUNTABILITY Tony is calling “blackmail”...

The AK Guy is the real deal. Unlike Tony, there’s no way in hell an SOT/gun-tuber would vote for gun control like Tony has...


9 posted on 02/19/2026 12:35:52 PM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: NorthMountain

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/why-didn-t-trump-endorse-brand-_L.reiBNRWCSAwyb1zo4kw#0


10 posted on 02/19/2026 12:39:02 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: Vaduz

Hillary: Look, I’m busy now. I can’t be looking up my old payment files for every time sometime dredges up a story. I have a shoe box on a shelf with 50 or 60 of the USBs.


11 posted on 02/19/2026 12:39:39 PM PST by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake ySneaour windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: Miami Rebel

It seems the former husband was willing to settle for $300,000 and keep his mouth shut, being paid by Tony’s homeowner policy, but Tony sees this as “blackmail.”

That is just a private settlement that would have worked to your advantage, Tony, but, hey, don’t be “blackmailed” and see how that goes for you, now.


12 posted on 02/19/2026 12:41:59 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

I hate suicides. The victims they leave behind show how truly sick and depraved they are.

She left behind an 8 year old child. Her own mother found her alive and begging for water. Saying she did not want to die.


13 posted on 02/19/2026 12:43:08 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: ConservativeMind
That is just a private settlement that would have worked to your advantage, Tony, but, hey, don’t be “blackmailed” and see how that goes for you, now.

Tony is done for. He was done for the moment she lit the match.

He only won over Herrera last time by 400 votes. I expect he'll resign now and not wait to lose the election.

14 posted on 02/19/2026 12:45:50 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: Miami Rebel
Brandon Herrera is running against him a second time, now:

“The pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC ran an ad campaign accusing Herrera of joking about veteran suicide and having “glorified Nazis and mocked the Holocaust” in his YouTube videos.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Herrera

Brandon came within 1% of winning, last time.

AIPAC wants the adulterer who led to a suicide death by fire, though.

15 posted on 02/19/2026 12:46:14 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Brandon Herrera exemplifies the sort of people we NEED in Congress.


16 posted on 02/19/2026 12:46:38 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Don’t waste my time with ai-generated slop.


17 posted on 02/19/2026 12:47:39 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: NorthMountain

I guess we’ll find out.
https://brandonherreraforcongress.com/


18 posted on 02/19/2026 12:48:06 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: ConservativeMind

If AIPAC is opposed, I’m probably for ...


19 posted on 02/19/2026 12:48:46 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: NorthMountain

You choose to be ignorant and state ignorant opinions?

Your choice.


20 posted on 02/19/2026 12:49:08 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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