For months, the possibility of sex crimes charges has lingered like an ominous thunderhead over Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
In January, one of Gaetz's exes testified before a federal grand jury in Orlando as investigators reportedly considered charging Gaetz with obstruction, too, after the Florida Republican called a witness in his sex-trafficking probe.
According to legal sources, Gaetz, 40, was being investigated for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old girl for money and months later transporting adult sex workers across state lines to engage in prostitution.
If proven, the allegations would have destroyed Gaetz's career. But, according to The Washington Post, career prosecutors are recommending that the Department of Justice not charge Gaetz. According to the article, they believe two of the biggest witnesses willing to testify against the congressman have โcredibility challenges.โ
Senior officials at the Justice Department have yet to decide on whether or not to charge the prominent Republican.
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey has more on the developments and what they may portend for Gaetz's future:
Is this vindication for Matt Gaetz, or will this get chalked up as a stalemate?ย The Washington Post reportsย that the long-running probe into sex trafficking that involved the Florida Republican didn't find enough reliable evidence and testimony to charge him with any crimes.
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As the Post explains and as has been well covered in the past, the two witnesses are the victim herself and Gaetz' friend Joel Greenberg. The problem with the victim as a witness against Gaetz is that she was already 18 on the occasion of the trip she allegedly took with Greenberg and Gaetz. As an adult, Gaetz' proximity to her or even any relations they had would not necessarily be a legal issue.
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Interestingly, it appears that Gaetz' ex-girlfriend turned into another dead end.ย Back in January, leaks from the investigation painted her as a key link in a testimonial chain that would result in a Gaetz indictment. The DoJย gave her immunityย in exchange for her testimony, which now appears to have been useless. One has to wonder just why she needed immunity in the first place, but at least it appeared a worthwhile grant in terms ofย what she was supposed to deliver.
Morrissey then notes the many problems of having Greenberg as a witness:
In other words, prosecutors hoped to use as their key witness against Gaetz a man who had fabricated allegations of wrongdoing in the past to benefit himself. That's almostย insane, and apparently these prosecutors managed to recover their mental health, albeit belatedly. What they have left, however, is an immunity grant to one person and a sweetheart plea deal to another, only to come up empty.
This story is developing. Stay with American Liberty News for the latest updates.
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7 Comments
SMH…..another rush to judgement
Another push by dems to punish Trump supporters! No credible evidence, no credible witness to back up charges, nothing but rumors and lies are typical of democrat witch hunts!
It should be vindication but the left are trying to take down anyone that is not kissing their asses and going against their beliefs. I so want someone anyone with balls to bring all the truth out on the forefront and expose everyone in government who has done shady crooked illegal things that any of us would go to jail for plus pay massive fines.
Likewise, there would seem to be so many on the illegal & corrupt list that it’s a shorter list to identify those who are not corrupt than the list of those who are. TBS, thank God for Matt Getz & the few Republicans who are not RINOs
The progs that operate according to the protocol of Alinsky, Lenin and ultimately Karl Marx will do anything immoral or illegal to neutralize or destroy any perceived opponent. We have seen the old ‘SEX’ SCAM brandished against so many decent men by now that many of us are starting to YAWN. We know very well that the communists do as they will and then accuse their opponents of doing the same deeds.
โYes,Iโd like immunity from the lies Iโm about to tell youโฆโ
We kinda expected this to be another Dem-generated witch-hunt against a popular Republican, and that seems to have been borne out. Why don’t these prosecutors go after some real criminals on which there is a mountain of evidence—Hillary, Comey, Hunter, to name just three easy convictions.