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Patrick Maguire is an Associate Producer at CBS News based in Washington, D.C.

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Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 11:28 AM EST / CBS News

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Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that he had a relationship with a former staffer who later died by suicide, but alleged the controversy that has engulfed the situation is "about power and money."

"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," he told conservative radio host Joe Pags when asked if the alleged affair took place. "Since then, I've reconciled with my wife, Angel.…