House Ethics Committee Investigating GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz Of Florida - NPR

Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., seen here at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, confirms he's under investigation by the Justice Department but denies the allegations tied to the inquiry.

Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., seen here at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, confirms he's under investigation by the Justice Department but denies the allegations tied to the inquiry.

"The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative Matt Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct," the panel's chairman, Rep.

The New York Times first reported that the Department of Justice is investigating Gaetz over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him, which could violate federal sex trafficking laws.

Gaetz, 38, confirmed he is under investigation by the Justice Department but denied the allegations.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has said if the "serious" allegations are true, Gaetz would be removed from his committee assignments

There have not been any formal announcements about Gaetz from the Justice Department

But the public statement of the committee action now, which comes ahead of any official statement from the Justice Department, departs from its normal practice