1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is resisting growing calls from fellow congressional Republicans to resign over a report of an alleged affair with a former staffer who later died after she set herself on fire. There are sensually explicit and coercive texts between Gonzales and his staffer, showing that he was pushing unwanted attention on her. This caused her deep distress in her personal and work life. Aside from being against the rules for a Representative to have a relationship with a staffer, there is an unequal power dynamic in a relationship like this, which prevents it from being consensual. I have worked in a job before where my boss's boss attempted a sequel relationship with me. I was subject to texts, calls, as well as inappropriate talk and touching during work hours. When I confronted the situation, I was blacklisted at the business and was forced to quit. This is an experience so many women deal with in the workplace, and many don't have the luxury of risking their position by standing up to the person sexualy harassing them. Our Government officials should be held to a high standard of ethics, and yet the Republican party continues to have scandal after scandal involving sexual impropriety or sexual crimes. The Republican party is losing all credibility about being the party of family values, or the party that aligns itself with Christian values. Please put pressure on Mike Johnson to call for Tony Gonzales' resignation. Please put pressure on your colleague Tony Gonzales to resign. This is damaging your party's reputation, not just his.