TX-23: U.S. House candidate Tony Gonzales launched run before leaving Navy, filings show
Federal filings and statements at a recent debate raise questions whether Tony Gonzales, now running for the South Texas seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, launched his campaign before leaving the U.S. Navy.
Under Defense Department regulations, active duty military personnel are prohibited from running for office unless they obtain special permission to do so.
Gonzales — who's facing Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force veteran, to represent the sprawling 23rd District — filed to run on May 15, 2019, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records. However, his discharge paperwork from the Navy is dated August 7, 2019, nearly three months after he filed to seek office.
Gonzales' campaign responded to an inquiry about his filing date by forwarding a letter from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel stating that he'd been cleared of a complaint that his candidacy violates the Hatch Act. That act governs political work by federal civilian employees of the executive branch.
Campaign spokesman Matt Mackowiak said it's unclear who requested the federal investigation of Gonzales' candidacy. He offered no other comment on the timing of the candidate's FEC filing.
In a statement supplied to the Current, Jones campaign spokeswoman Sharon Yang said it's irrelevant whether Gonzales was cleared for violating Hatch act, adding that the timing of his run still breaches Defense Department rules.
https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2020/10/17/south-texas-us-house-candidate-tony-gonzales-may-have-launched-run-before-leaving-navy-filings-show
