Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) is calling for Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (R) to be removed from the House Judiciary Committee following reports that he sought a pre-emptive pardon from former President Donald Trump over the Department of Justice’s investigation into alleged sex trafficking.
According to the Washington Post, former Trump White House aide John McEntee told the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that Gaetz had asked then-chief of staff Mark Meadows for a pre-emptive pardon from Trump due to the investigation against him.
After the news broke, Lieu took to social media to call for Gaetz to be removed from the Judiciary committee because of a conflict of interest.
“GOP Rep Matt Gaetz is entitled to the presumption of innocence,” Lieu tweeted. “He is not entitled to sit on the Judiciary Committee that has oversight over the Department of Justice that is investigating him for sex crimes. A conflict of interest. [Kevin McCarthy] must remove him from the Committee.”
The Justice Department is investigating allegations that Gaetz paid for sex, engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and transported her across state lines. Gaetz denies the allegations.
Gaetz’s spokesperson also denied that he asked for a pardon for himself from Donald Trump in the last days of his presidency.
“Congressman Matt Gaetz discussed pardons for many other people publicly and privately at the end of President Donald Trump’s first term,” the spokesperson told The Post. “As for himself, President Trump addressed this malicious rumor more than a year ago stating, ‘Congressman Matt Gaetz has never asked me for a pardon.’ Rep. Gaetz continues to stand by President Trump’s statement.”
