Tony Gonzales accuses dead staffer’s husband of blackmail

Published February 19, 2026 5:15pm ET



Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) claimed on Thursday he was being blackmailed by the husband of a former staffer who died by setting herself on fire.

Gonzales posted a note on X from the lawyer of Adrian Aviles, the widower of former congressional staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, requesting a $300,000 settlement.

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