A staffer for Republican U.S. Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Kansas has been arrested for theÂ sexual exploitation of a child.

Matthew Pennell has been arrested on 17 counts ofÂ sexual exploitation of a child. He is the constituent services representative for Republican U.S. Congressman Tim HuelskampÂ (photo, top),Â and was active in local Kansas politics in 2011.Â Pennell is being held on $75,000 bond.Â

Photo: Rep. Huelskamp (left) withÂ Matthew Pennell

“Upon learning of his arrest, the Office immediately placed Mr. Pennell on Leave Without Pay until further notice,” Huelskamp chief of staff Mark Kelly said in a statement.Â “Because this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”

TheÂ Family Research Council endorsed Huelskamp’s re-election last year.

Rep. Huelskamp was declared the most anti-gay member of Congress in 2012, and has been pushing a bill to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

In 2013, anÂ aide to Republican SenatorÂ Lamar AlexanderÂ ofÂ TennesseeÂ was arrested on child pornography charges. Police found hundreds of videos in the home ofÂ Jesse Ryan Loskarn, who later died by suicide.

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Image top by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license

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Hat tip: TJ