SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Tony Gonzales on Thursday denied reports he was having an affair with a Uvalde-based staffer when she set herself on fire in September.

It was the first time the Texas Republican has publicly spoken about the September death of 35-year-old Regina Santos-Aviles, which sparked an investigation led by the Texas Rangers. Earlier this week, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her manner of death as a suicide .

Gonzales, a Republican who represents a slice of Texas stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, made the comments at a Thursday panel at the Texas Tribune Festival, where he blasted rumors about him as "completely untruthful."

At the same time, he praised Santos-Aviles' commitment to the community.

"Regina’s family has asked for privacy. If it

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