Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) heads to the U.S. Capitol for a House vote.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzalez announced Monday that he is retiring from Congress following bipartisan calls for his ouster.
Gonzalez had already announced that he would not seek re-election after admitting to an affair with a staffer who later committed suicide. His retirement announcement came just hours after Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell of California announced he was resigning from Congress as he also faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
House Republican leaders had already called on Gonzalez not to seek re-election as he seeks to maintain a strongly Republican district in November’s midterm elections. And the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation. Under House ethics rules, members cannot have sexual relations with House employees under their supervision.
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for all of us,” Gonzalez said in a social media post. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will submit my resignation.”
He said it was an honor to “serve the great people of Texas.” He gave no further details about his plans to resign. He previously insisted he would serve out the remainder of his term as Republicans work to maintain their slim House majority.
Last month, top Republican and Democratic members of the House Ethics Committee announced in a joint statement that the panel would investigate whether Gonzalez committed sexual misconduct against employees in his office and whether he unfairly discriminated against them by giving them special favors or privileges.
The announcement came on the same day that Gonzalez appeared on “The Joe Pags Show” and was asked if he was in a relationship with aide Regina Ann Santos-Aviles.
“I made a mistake, had poor judgment and lacked faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez went on to say that he had reconciled with his wife and asked God for forgiveness. He also said he looked forward to the Ethics Commission’s investigation.
But as lawmakers returned from a two-week break on Monday, there were growing calls among them to confront allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell’s alleged violations have brought new attention to the issue.
Based on comments from lawmakers on social media, some appear to be open to a trade-off with expulsion that would affect each party equally.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D.M.) said both Gonzalez and Swalwell are “unfit to serve in Congress given their sexual crimes against women who work for them.”
“The resolution to expel Mr. Swalwell has already been announced and I support it. I will be introducing a resolution to expel Sen. Gonzalez,” Leger Fernandez said.
In another post after the Texas lawmaker announced his retirement, she called on Gonzalez to make it “effective immediately.”
“He has until 2pm tomorrow when we will apply for his expulsion,” she told X.
