Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida will not be charged with a crime after a years-long probe into sex trafficking allegations against him.
CNN was first to report Wednesday that the Justice Department had contacted attorneys for one witness in the case to inform them that Gaetz would not be indicted.
The Justice Department has decided against charging Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz after a years-long federal sex-trafficking investigation. https://t.co/XwabJTsYeV
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2023
The decision not to pursue charges against the Florida Republican was made at the upper levels of the department.
Gaetz was accused of trafficking a 17-year-old in 2020, and his cell phone was seized by the FBI, according to NBC News.
An acquaintance of the lawmaker, Joel Greenberg, later pleaded guilty to trafficking a teen for sex.
NBC News also reported last year that the probe into Gaetz was in relation to accusations of both trafficking a minor across state lines for prostitution and obstruction of justice.
Gaetz maintained his innocence throughout the process.
CNN reported in 2021 federal investigators were “examining whether Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws, including whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with the 17-year-old girl and whether he paid for her to travel with him.”
Gaetz connected the accusations to an extortion attempt.
“Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name,” he said.
“We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter, and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals,” Gaetz added.
“No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets.”
Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name.
We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
…and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals. The planted leak to the FBI tonight was intended to thwart that investigation.
No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
DOJ investigators recommended against charging Gaetz with a crime last year.
Gaetz has been smeared relentlessly by establishment media pundits over the allegations.
MSNBC’s Joy Reid claimed at one point on her show last year that the walls were “closing in” on Gaetz.
This story is still developing and may be updated with additional information.
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