Gonzales to Retire on Expulsion Calls  04/14 06:14

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said Monday he 
will retire from Congress after bipartisan calls to expel him.

   Gonzales had already said he would not seek reelection after admitting to an 
affair with a staff member who had later died by suicide. His retirement 
announcement came just hours after Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California 
said he would be resigning from Congress as he also confronted allegations of 
sexual misconduct.

   House Republican leaders had already called on the three-term Gonzales to 
not seek reelection as they try to hold on to a strongly Republican district in 
November's midterm elections. And the House Ethics Committee had initiated an 
investigation. Under House ethics rules, lawmakers may not engage in a sexual 
relationship with any employee of the House under their supervision.

   "There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all," Gonzales 
said in a social media post. "When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my 
retirement from office."

   He said it has been a privilege "to serve the great people of Texas." He 
gave no further details on his plans to step down. Previously, he had insisted 
he would serve out the remainder of his term as the GOP works to hold its slim 
House majority.

   Last month, the top Republican and Democratic members on the House Ethics 
Committee said in a joint statement that an investigative panel would look into 
whether Gonzales engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office 
and whether he discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or 
privileges.

   That announcement came the same day that Gonzales, appearing on the "Joe 
Pags Show," was asked if he had a relationship with the aide, Regina Ann 
Santos-Aviles.

   "I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of 
faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions," Gonzales said.

   Gonzales went on to say he had reconciled with his wife and had asked God to 
forgive him. He also said he looked forward to the Ethics Committee 
investigation.

   But as lawmakers returned from a two-week break on Monday, there was a 
growing clamor among members to take a stand against alleged sexual misconduct. 
Swalwell's alleged transgressions brought renewed attention to the issue.

   Comments from lawmakers on social media suggested some were open to an 
expulsion trade-off of sorts that would affect each party equally.

   Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., said both Gonzales and Swalwell "are 
not fit to serve in Congress given their sexual transgressions against women 
who work for them."

   "There's already been a resolution announced to expel Swalwell that I will 
support. I will introduce a resolution to expel Rep. Gonzales," Leger Fernandez 
said.

   In a separate post that came after the Texas lawmaker made his retirement 
announcement, she challenged Gonzales to make it "effective immediately."

   "He has until 2PM tomorrow -- when we will file his expulsion," she said on 
X.