Ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Says ‘The Truth’ About Why He Was Ousted Is Rep. Matt Gaetz Wanted To Stop Probe Into Alleged Affair ‘With A 17-Year-Old’

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) stated that he was removed because Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) wanted to stop the ethics investigation over his alleged affair with a 17-year-old girl.

“And I’ll give you the truth why I’m not speaker,” McCarthy shared during a recent event at Georgetown University. “It’s because one person – a member of Congress – wanted me to stop an ethics complaint because he slept with a 17-year-old – an ethics complaint that started before I ever became speaker. And that’s illegal.”

“I’m not going to get in the middle,” he declared. “Did he do it or not? I don’t know.”

The former California representative was referring to a House Ethics Committee investigation that opened in 2021 regarding allegations that Gaetz violated sex trafficking laws and had relations with an underage girl. 

This investigation was tabled to allow the Department of Justice to investigate. The DOJ stopped investigating in 2023 and did not charge the Florida representative, who vehemently denied any misdeeds since these allegations arose. 

“Kevin is a liar,” Gaetz said in a statement. “Which, actually, is why he isn’t speaker. Just ask any of the 224 people who voted to remove him.”

In March, Gaetz had been served a subpoena to take part in a deposition in a civil lawsuit related to claims of having sex with a minor. The subpoena is part of a lawsuit brought by a friend of his who had targeted the young woman and others.

This subpoena was issued by lawyers representing the woman, who is currently in her twenties. The Florida representative’s deposition is part of a larger defamation and racketeering lawsuit brought by his friend, Chris Dorworth, and a former Florida House member and lobbyist against the woman and other people.

“Congressman Gaetz received a witness subpoena in an ongoing lawsuit between outside parties,” a spokesperson for Gaetz said in a statement. “He is not being sued, and he is neither a plaintiff nor a defendant in this matter.”

The allegations against him were also addressed during an interview with the then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson in 2021.

“They’re saying there is a 17-year-old girl who you had a relationship with. Is that true?” Carlson asked him. Who is this girl?”

“The person doesn’t exist,” Gaetz stated at the time. “I have not had a relationship with a 17-year-old; that is totally false.”

McCarthy was ousted on October 3, 2023, when eight House Republicans joined all Democrats to support a motion by Gaetz to remove him.

On November 9, 2023, he called out his Republican colleagues, who voted to remove him and demanded “consequences.”

The ex-House speaker said that the conference of House GOP members will eventually have to decide whether to expel Gaetz. McCarthy said that he believes the conference cannot recover if there are no punishments for their actions. With a one-vote majority, it seems highly unlikely that the House Republicans would oust any member at this time. 

The Florida representative responded to McCarthy’s comments, offering “thoughts and prayers to the former speaker as he works through his grief.”

In late March, McCarthy accused Gaetz of lying about his relationship with former President Donald Trump and his personal life.

The former House speaker also mentioned that Gaetz “probably lies about who he sleeps with, too.”