Rep. Gaetz staying on Judiciary panel, despite investigation

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, a prominent, outspoken conservative and a close ally of former President Donald Trump who has been under federal investigation for a former relationship, would lose his House seat if convicted of a felony. But there are no rules addressing lawmakers under investigation.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said that Gaetz would be removed from his committees if the charges were proven, but sidestepped the issue of what to do while the case is ongoing. Democrats called for him to step aside from the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Justice Department.

“Those are serious implications,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said on Fox News. “If it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that was the case. But right now Matt Gaetz says it is not true, and we don’t have any information. So let’s get all the information.”

Gaetz, 38, who represents western Florida, has known for months that he was under federal investigation over accusations that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid her to travel with him, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

Gaetz is under investigation to determine if he violated federal sex trafficking laws, said the people who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.

The Justice Department has also been looking into whether Gaetz may have also been involved in relationships with other underage girls, the people said. www

Gaetz has not been charged with a crime. The Justice Department did not comment.