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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) mentioned Wednesday that Gaetz can be faraway from the Judiciary Committee if allegations that the GOP congressman from Florida had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old lady and paid for her journey show to be true.

“Those are serious implications,” McCarthy mentioned throughout an look on Fox News. “If it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that was the case. Right now, Matt Gaetz says it’s not true, and we don’t have any information.”

McCarthy mentioned he has not spoken with the Justice Department, which is investigating the allegations, or with Gaetz, who has denied the allegations and mentioned his household is being extorted associated to the matter. Federal statutes make it unlawful to induce somebody below 18 to journey over state strains to have interaction in intercourse in trade for cash or one thing of worth.

McCarthy was requested by Fox News’s Dana Perino if he would search to take away Gaetz from the Judiciary Committee whereas he’s below investigation, provided that McCarthy has sought the removing of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) from the Intelligence Committee following questions on his relationship with a Chinese spy who raised funds for his congressional marketing campaign years in the past.

McCarthy mentioned solely that Gaetz can be eliminated if the allegations have been true.

At a day information convention in Iowa, McCarthy instructed reporters he had nonetheless not spoken to Gaetz.

McCarthy made the journey to help Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R), whose win by six votes is being challenged in the House by her Democratic opponent, Rita Hart.

After fielding questions on that and different topics, McCarthy began to stroll away from the microphones when a reporter shouted a query about Gaetz. He returned and began to reply, however a stay stream of the occasion, being broadcast by McCarthy’s workplace, quickly reduce off.