Asked again on Thursday whether Gaetz would maintain his seat on the House Judiciary Committee given his oversight of the Department of Justice, McCarthy said Gaetz’s is the same as any American. He is innocent until convicted. There are no charges against him yet. If a charge comes up, it will be settled at that time. “
McCarthy also denied that he was made aware of any red flags about Gaetz, following media reports that the then speaker, Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Met with Gaetz in 2017 to discuss the behavior of the then first-year member. At the time, McCarthy was majority leader of the House.
“When I was majority leader, I was not part of the discussion, and I did not know about it,” McCarthy said, adding, “If you’re wondering if I know anything about what is being said now, no.
Despite a spate of negative headlines in recent days further outlining the accusations against Gaetz, only one Republican from the House has appealed for his resignation, and his position in Congress currently appears to be secure.
McCarthy’s remarks come after Gaetz on Wednesday announced an ad purchase of six figures targeted at CNN – part of the congressman’s efforts to portray himself as the victim of anti-conservative media prejudice.