WASHINGTON — The House is self-cleaning. Disgraced Rep. Tony Gonzales — who dropped his re-election bid after revelations of his sexual advances on a subordinate who later fatally set herself on fire — plans to retire from Congress Tuesday. “There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,” the Texas Republican wrote on X Monday evening. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,” he announced. “It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
Gonzales has been accused of sending lewd text messages to at least two former staffers, including the late Regina Santos-Aviles, with whom the married father of six admitted to having an affair. The announcement came moments after Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) announced his resignation from Congress after multiple women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct, with one former subordinate claiming she had been raped by the longtime lawmaker. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) announced plans to introduce a resolution later this week to expel Gonzales from Congress. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) similarly planned to put forward a measure to boot Swalwell from the House. “As I’ve said, Gonzales and Swalwell are not fit to serve in Congress given their sexual transgressions against women who work for them,” Fernández wrote on X. “They should resign or be expelled.”
