Second Staffer Says Rep. Tony Gonzales Sent Her Sexually Explicit Text Messages

A 2nd erstwhile staffer of Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, tells NBC News he sent sexually definitive matter messages to her while she was moving for him.

The San Antonio Express-News first reported that Gonzales, who is joined and a begetter of six, texted nan woman, many times asking for activity and nude photos.

On Monday, NBC News said pinch nan woman, who worked arsenic Gonzales’s governmental head connected his first run successful 2020. She said that each of nan specifications and matter messages cited successful nan San Antonio Express-News were accurate.

The erstwhile run staffer said she is coming guardant now because she believes Gonzales should beryllium held accountable for his past actions. NBC mostly does not sanction alleged victims of intersexual harassment.

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The caller revelations travel 1 period aft Gonzales dropped retired of his superior runoff aft nan House Ethics Committee said it was investigating his narration pinch different woman, a legislature aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by termination past year. Gonzales had exchanged sexually definitive messages pinch Santos-Aviles successful May 2024, according to messages obtained by NBC News and confirmed by her widower.

Gonzales said successful a podcast quality past period that he had “made a mistake, and I had a lapse successful judgment,” appearing to reference nan Santos-Aviles affair.

The Ethics Committee declined to remark connected nan latest allegation against Gonzales. The committee is investigating whether he violated nan House codification of conduct, which prohibits members from having intersexual relationships pinch their legislature subordinates.

While he is nary longer seeking re-election, Gonzales has said he intends to service retired nan remainder of his term, which ends successful January 2027. His spot is captious fixed that Republicans clasp a minuscule 217-214 mostly complete nan Democrats.

A Gonzales spokeswoman hung up nan telephone Monday erstwhile asked for comment. She did not respond to a follow-up matter connection and email.

“I telephone it intersexual bullying,” nan erstwhile governmental head told NBC News successful a telephone interview.

“The nonsubjective is not to hit a dormant horse,” she said of why she’s coming guardant now. “The man’s done, but astatine nan extremity of nan time ... this behaviour has sewage to stop. What tin I do? This is what I’m asking myself. What is my portion successful this?”

The erstwhile governmental director, who antecedently served successful nan Army and later worked arsenic a defense contractor, said Gonzales came complete to her location a mates of times to talk nan run but ne'er tried to get beingness pinch her.

In texts, however, she said he many times expressed wanting to person activity pinch her and asked her to nonstop him nude photos. She rebuffed him each time. “47 nos is astir my limit,” he replied to her astatine 1 point, according to a matter that was printed by nan San Antonio Express-News, and which she confirmed to NBC News.

She said location were much matter messages than those published by nan San Antonio outlet. “Some of it was conscionable — it’s conscionable excessively salacious,” she said, declining to stock nan unpublished messages.

She said she had not spoken to Gonzales since early 2021.

“I deliberation if I would person ever fixed him a hint done matter that I would do thing pinch him, past I deliberation he would person but, I mean, you saw it, 47 nos,” she said successful nan telephone interview.

“It’s benignant of for illustration dealing pinch a toddler. I conscionable kept trying to redirect him,” she said.