his assistant was burned alive after receiving his obscene SMS

Santos-Aviles worked as an assistant to Tony Gonzales, Republican congressman from Texas and Donald Trump’s man in the state, who supported him in 2024 against his rival Brandon Herrera. Despite the closeness, Gonzales was not present at the funeral. The “open secret” was that both had been lovers and that Regina’s husband had discovered the extramarital relationship.

Although Gonzales, married and father of six childrendenied infidelity, this week testimonies have come to light that paint an even darker scenario. The politician would have pressured his assistant to have sexual relations with obscene messages at late hours of the morning from May 2024.

When the young woman tried to break up to make the situation public, the congressman would have relegated her professionally. “She went from number one employee to nothing“explained another former employee of Gonzales’ team under condition of anonymity to the San Antonio Express News.

The relationship was “known to everyone,” he claimed, with the two coming to share room during the 2024 presidential campaign. But this has not been the only testimony that incriminates the Republican.

Adrian Aviles, Regina’s widower, has provided this week to several media the SMS he discovered on his wife’s phone. At one in the morning, the congressman insisted that his employee send him “sexy photos” and asked her obscene questions about “her favorite sexual positions.” “This is going too far, boss.”he answered.

Aviles also includes among the messages sent to the media those that he himself sent to Gonzales months later, revealing that he had discovered the relationship between the two and that he was in the process of separating. It would be from that moment on that the congressman would have retaliated against the young woman, whose emotional and mental health would have deteriorated quickly

Unanimity in calling for his resignation

The case has caused a revulsion effect not only among Gonzales’s political rivals, but also among members of the Republican party. It is unusual under the leadership of Donald Trump, who tends to interpret attacks on the candidates he supports as personal slights. In this case, however, the US president has not reacted to the breaking of ranks.

Some of the voices that have demanded the resignation of the congressman have even become icons of ‘Trumpism’ to position themselves as internal rivals of the president. It is the case of Lauren Boebert (Colorado), Anna Paulina Luna (Florida) or Nancy Mace (South Carolina). Thomas Massie (Kentucky), the Republican most hostile to Trump, leads the criticism.

Gonzales, for his part, presents himself as a victim of “blackmail”, ensuring that the intention of Regina’s widower is to extort him “in coordination” with the rivals whom he will face each other in the Republican primaries this March 3.

He has refused to resign, alleging that his departure would compromise the majority of his party against the Democrats (217-214), and calling for upcoming “opportunities for details and facts come to light“.

The reality is that Gonzales reaches the primaries with Herrera on his heels. Barely 400 votes separated them two years ago and the candidate has insistently attacked the congressman because of the scandal.

And even if he manages to keep his seat, an independent body of the US Congress, the Office of Congressional Conduct, has opened a ethical research about the case.

The political implications of these primaries go beyond the Republican Party. Texas is one of the states where Democrats could turn the political table in the legislative elections next November.

The Texan James Tallarico He is one of the rising young Democratic stars. His interview on the Steven Colbert show, which was censored live, accumulates almost 9 million views on YouTube.