Johnson says of Rep. Gonzales' alleged affair with staffer: "We're trying to sort it out"
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson described the allegations against GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales involving an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide as "detestable," emphasizing that an investigation is ongoing and facts need to play out.
- The staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, revealed the alleged affair in a text message months before her death by self-immolation in September 2025; additional texts showed Gonzales requesting explicit photos and engaging in sexual banter.
- Gonzales, who denies the affair and claims extortion by Santos-Aviles' widower, faces multiple challengers in the upcoming Republican primary but has refused to resign amid calls from some party members.
- The GOP campaign arm had endorsed Gonzales before the allegations surfaced,
