The City Council’s Standards and Ethics Committee is waiting to investigate a council member of Queens charged with raping a woman in his campaign office until criminal proceedings are complete.

The committee met behind closed doors for about 30 minutes yesterday, emerging with a statement from the committee chairwoman, Inez Dickens, which said the council takes the allegations against Council Member Dennis Gallagher very seriously and that the committee “will thoroughly examine the matter at the appropriate time.”

“At the direct request of the Queens District Attorney, the Committee will defer any further investigation or proceedings until the completion of the criminal process,” Ms. Dickens said in the statement.

By a vote of 37-0, the council yesterday voted to remove Mr. Gallagher from his committee assignments and from his position as minority whip. The Republican lawmaker, who is facing a 10-count indictment, did not a attend the meeting or a Rules, Privileges, and Elections Committee hearing on removing him from his committee assignments and leadership position.

A lawyer for Mr. Gallagher has said the council member intends to remain on the council.

Speaker Christine Quinn said she called Mr. Gallagher on Friday afternoon and suggested he step down from his leadership position and committees. She said she did not ask him to resign from the council when she spoke to him.

“These are serious charges and I think it’s in the best interest of the institution for council member Gallagher to focus on his defense and for the committees on which he is a member to be able to move forward without this issue hanging over” their heads, she said.

The council’s Standards and Ethics Committee investigated allegations of sexual misconduct against Council Member Allan Jennings Jr. of Queens in 2005. Mr. Jennings had not been charged with a crime.