House Republican Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) weighed in on the sex trafficking allegations made against Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL). The Florida Republican is under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an underage girl. Gaetz claimed that the allegations were representative of extortion by the DOJ.
...and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals. The planted leak to the FBI tonight was intended to thwart that investigation.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets...
...of the ongoing extortion investigation.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations.
McCarthy deemed the allegations “serious” and said that if proven to be true, Gaetz would be removed from his positions on the House Armed Services and Judiciary Committees.
“Those are serious implications,” the GOP leader said. “If it comes out to be true, then yes, we would remove him if that was the case. But right now, Matt Gaetz said it is not true, and we don’t have any information. Let’s get all the information."
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on reported DOJ investigation into allegations of sex trafficking against Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL):
— The Recount (@therecount) March 31, 2021
“If it comes out to be true, yes we would remove him … let’s get all the information.” pic.twitter.com/AJpaY4YMuy
The investigation into the allegations is ongoing.