House Ethics Investigation Into Tony Gonzales Is Long Overdue and Tragically Late

The House Ethics Committee finally decided to investigate Tony Gonzales, and all I can think about is how convenient the timing feels. They waited until the day after Texas primaries to announce they’re looking into whether the GOP congressman from Texas had an affair with a staffer who later took her own life. Regina Santos-Aviles set herself on fire in September. She told police as they arrived, “my god, I don’t wanna die.” That statement alone should haunt every single person who knew what was happening and stayed quiet.

Let’s be clear about what we’re dealing with here. Text messages show Santos-Aviles told a colleague “I had affair with our boss and I’m fine.” Other exchanges between her and Gonzales allegedly include him asking for a “sexy pic” and her responding “this is going too far boss.” These aren’t vague allegations or political hit jobs. These are her words, documented and released. The woman was married with a son. Gonzales is married with six children. Traditional values aren’t just Sunday talking points. They’re supposed to mean something when nobody’s watching.

The Ethics Committee says it’s investigating whether Gonzales engaged in sexual misconduct toward someone in his congressional office and whether he discriminated by “dispensing special favors or privileges.” That’s Washington speak for what everyone already knows happened. You know what bothers me most? The institutional cowardice. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the allegations “detestable” but can’t actually do anything because his majority is hanging by a thread. So principle takes a backseat to math. That’s not leadership. That’s political calculus dressed up as pragmatism.

Gonzales got forced into a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, who’s calling for his resignation. Democrats want him gone too. When both sides agree on something in this climate, you should probably listen. But Gonzales denies the affair and claims he’s being extorted by Santos-Aviles’ husband. Maybe he is. Maybe there’s some elaborate scheme we don’t know about yet. But those text messages aren’t going away, and neither is the fact that a woman died in horrific circumstances while this whole mess was unfolding.

Here’s what really gets me. We spend so much time talking about limited government and individual responsibility in conservative circles. We preach about character and accountability. Then someone in our own ranks allegedly violates every principle we claim to hold dear, and suddenly it’s all about whether we can afford to lose a seat. That’s not conservatism. That’s tribalism wearing a flag pin.

The investigation will eventually reveal what happened, assuming the Ethics Committee actually functions like it’s supposed to. They haven’t even selected the panel members yet, which tells you how seriously they’re taking this. Meanwhile, Gonzales continues serving in Congress while this cloud hangs over everything he touches. Every vote he casts, every speech he gives, every constituent he meets carries this stain until it gets resolved.

Regina Santos-Aviles deserved better than whatever happened in that office. Her family deserves answers. And frankly, Republican voters deserve representatives who don’t make us defend the indefensible. If Gonzales did what those text messages suggest, he needs to resign today. Not after the investigation. Not after the runoff. Today. Because some things matter more than keeping a seat warm in a slim majority.

Related: Tim Walz Let Billions Vanish While Silencing the People Who Tried to Stop It