Congressman Matt Gaetz, who faces charges of sexual intercourse with an underage girl, should at least be removed from the House Judiciary Committee if the allegations are true, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday.
Pelosi also said that the House Ethics Committee should consider the allegations against the Florida Republican.
Gaetz, who has been one of former President Donald Trump’s closest allies since he came to Congress in 2017, denied any charges of wrongdoing.
Asked directly whether Gaetz should resign from Congress or lose his seat on the committee, Pelosi did not specifically address the more severe measure.
“If these allegations are in fact true, it is clear that being removed from the Judiciary Committee is the least that could be done,” Pelosi told reporters. She added: “From what we’ve heard so far, that would be an issue for the Ethics Committee.”
The Ethics panel, made up of five members from each party, can recommend punishments ranging from a reprimand, or formal reprimand, to expulsion, which is rare in part because lawmakers often resign first. The plenary of the Chamber would have to approve such actions, with the expulsion requiring a two-thirds majority.
Pelosi’s comments fell short of the swift removal of the Judiciary Committee sought by at least one Democratic legislator. Congressman Ted Lieu, of California, argued in a tweet that “you cannot have Gaetz on the Congressional Committee that oversees the Department that is investigating him”.
The New York Times reported this week that Justice Department investigators are investigating whether Gaetz “violated federal sex trafficking laws”. Gaetz denied the claim that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him.
On Tuesday, Gaetz appeared on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” program, where he claimed to have been the victim of an extortion attempt. He denied the relationship with Carlson and in a separate statement. “The person does not exist. I did not have a relationship with a 17-year-old,” Gaetz told Carlson. “This is totally untrue.” He also told Carlson: “Providing flights and hotel rooms to people of legal age that you are dating is not a crime.”
Gaetz also claimed that a former Justice Department employee – whom he quoted on television – was trying to extort him and his family for $ 25 million in exchange for “making horrible sex trafficking charges against me disappear.”
The Justice Department has also been examining whether Gaetz has had relationships with other underage girls, people said. Investigators are trying to determine whether Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws, said the people, who were not allowed to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The New York Times reported on Thursday night that the Justice Department was investigating Gaetz’s connection to Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector who was indicted last year for federal sex trafficking and other crimes. Investigators are investigating whether Greenberg introduced Gaetz to women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments.
Gaetz has denied allegations that he has already paid women to have sex.
“Matt Gaetz refutes all disgusting allegations completely,” Gaetz’s office said in a statement to the Times. Gaetz’s office announced on Friday that its press secretary had “separated” from Gaetz.
Gaetz has so far received little vocal support from his Republican counterparts. Ohio congressman Jim Jordan is one of the few who support him. “I believe in Matt Gaetz,” he said CNN reporter Ryan Nobles. “He must not be removed from the Judiciary Committee.”
Minority leader in the House, Kevin McCarthy, said on Wednesday that the charges were “serious” and that, if the truth were to be proved, Gaetz would be removed from the committees. He is also a member of the Armed Forces Committee.
“The charges against me are FALSE,” Gaetz tweeted Thursday. He also repeated his claim that the charges are related to an alleged attempt to extort his family.