‘UNTENABLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST’

Rep. Lieu Calls for Rep. Gaetz’s Removal From Judiciary Committee After Daily Beast Exposé

Lieu said that Gaetz’s position on a committee with jurisdiction over the same Justice Department that was investigating the Florida Republican was “untenable.”

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) called for Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to face consequences Thursday night after The Daily Beast published a report on a confession letter written by a longtime associate claiming Gaetz repeatedly paid women for sex, including a 17-year-old. Tagging House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Lieu wrote, “Dear @GOPLeader: Please remove Rep Matt Gaetz from the House Judiciary Committee immediately. The Committee has jurisdiction over the Department of Justice that is investigating Rep Gaetz, including allegedly for sex crimes with a minor. This is an untenable conflict of interest.” Lieu has repeatedly called for Gaetz to be booted from the committee since the allegations against him first became public. Gaetz was appointed to the committee at the start of the 115th Congress in 2017. The Florida Republican is under federal investigation for potential sex trafficking. He has not been charged with a crime, and he has denied the allegations against him.