Lauren Boebert Demands Fellow House Republican Resign Amid Growing Scandal

LEFT: Lauren Boebert (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images) RIGHT: Tony Gonzales (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) called on Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) to resign on Monday, hours after 24sight News reported on inappropriate text messages that Gonzales sent to Regina Santos-Aviles, a former staffer who committed suicide by self-immolation last September.

The new messages — in which Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles to send him “a sexy pic” and fantasized about being “On top pinning your legs” — were produced less than a week after another former Gonzales employee who described himself as Santos-Aviles’s “best friend” told the  San Antonio Express-News that Santos-Aviles had admitted the affair to him, and that she had been battling depression ever since her husband found out about the relationship, causing the congressman to “abruptly cut her off.” The staffer also produced text messages in which Santos-Aviles admitted to the affair.

Gonzales has repeatedly denied the allegations that he had an affair with Santos-Aviles, and blamed last week’s story on his primary opponent in a statement that read:

Ms. Santos-Aviles was a kind soul who devoted her life to making the community a better place. Her efforts led to improvements in school safety, healthcare, and rural water like never before. It’s shameful that Brandon Herrera [Gonzales’s primary opponent] is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started. I am not going to engage in these personal smears and instead will remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans.

At least one of his colleagues is not convinced of his innocence, though. Boebert called on Gonzales to resign after the publication of the incriminating text messages.

Boebert’s demand is notable given the fact that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and the GOP command the smallest majority in nearly a century. If Gonzales were to resign, it would shrink further to 217-214, with four vacancies. The tight margin of error is particularly notable given the fact that some Republicans, including Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have proven willing to defect and vote with the Democrats on myriad issues.

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