The affidavit, provided by Lankford, was part of a lawsuit against staff members of Houston Community College and unrelated to Gonzalez. A licensed police officer for the college claimed in the affidavit that he, along with another officer, was called to investigate “an alleged domestic dispute” involving Melissa Gonzalez. The affidavit doesn’t describe the nature of the domestic incident.
In a statement, Ed Gonzalez’s wife, Melissa Gonzalez, denied that she had filed or made a complaint against her husband. “To be clear, the assertions referenced in the affidavit, as they relate to me, my husband, or my marriage, are completely false,” she said in a statement shared by the White House.
The White House stood by Gonzalez’s nomination Tuesday evening.
“Sheriff Gonzalez is an extraordinarily qualified law enforcement professional with 30 years’ experience. He has a proven track record of implementing progressive solutions to difficult problems, while coordinating with federal partners, including ICE, to make Harris County Texas safer, and he should be confirmed without delay,” a White House official said.
Peters said he had personally talked to Gonzalez about the allegation but did not provide additional details. In a statement to CNN, Gonzalez said, “The allegations are false, all politics.”
ICE, which is currently led by career official Tae Johnson in an acting capacity, never had a Senate-confirmed director during the four years of the Trump administration.
