House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said Wednesday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) would be removed from the House Judiciary Committee if the allegations printed by The New York Times of a federal investigation into a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid her to travel with him turn out to be true.
Anchor Dana Perino asked, “Breaking news yesterday Leader McCarthy about Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, and you’ve been very vocal that Congressman Eric Swalwell should be stripped of his ability to serve on the Intel Committee because of a reported relationship with a Chinese spy…You say that’s a national security threat on the Intel Committee. By that same law, will you take any action to remove Matt Gaetz from the Judiciary Committee while he is under investigation by the DOJ over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him? Something he denies, but that would be a violation of federal sex trafficking laws.”
McCarthy said, “Look, I haven’t heard from DOJ and been able to talk to Matt Gaetz yet. I just read the story. Those are serious implications. If it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that was the case. Right now, Matt Gaetz says it is not true, and we don’t have any information. Let’s get all the information.”
He added, “We did have the FBI come to us and tell us about Eric Swalwell. He was put on the Intel Committee. The real challenge there, as you both know Intel Committee is different than any committee in Congress. You get all the secrets. The problem with Eric Swalwell in the private sector he couldn’t pass a security clearance. He couldn’t get a security clearance. Why would he get one in Congress? There are 200 other Democrats who could do that job. That’s hypocrisy that they would allow him to be on.”
Perino asked, “Let me also ask you do you have any idea why Congressman Gaetz was the only Republican to vote against the federal government in terms of the trafficking money, the funds?”
McCarthy said, “No, I have no idea whatsoever why he would vote against that.”
Anchor Bill Hemmer asked, “Have you spoken to him since the news broke last night?”
McCarthy said, “I haven’t been able to talk to Matt Gaetz yet. Hopefully, I’ll talk to him today. I’ve been traveling. We’re going to a vaccination facility shortly. Later this afternoon, I hope to be able to speak with Mr. Gaetz.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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