'Substantial' evidence found Republican had affair with staffer who died by suicide

The Office of Congressional Conduct has already found "substantial reason to believe" that Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) engaged in sexual relations with a now-deceased subordinate, Politico reported on Wednesday.

This comes just hours after reports that the powerful House Ethics Committee, whose findings frequently bring down congressional careers, had opened an investigation into Gonzales, who represents a sprawling district that includes most of the Texas border with Mexico.

The former staffer...