Justice Department declines to charge Rep. Matt Gaetz in sex trafficking probe
CBSNov 27, 2022
The Facts
According to a source familiar with the matter, after a multi-year probe into House Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) officials have said they will not seek sex trafficking charges against the Florida Republican.
The source told CNN that senior officials reached out to lawyers for multiple witnesses on Wednesday to inform them of the decision to not prosecute Gaetz. Investigators recommended against charges last year following allegations that Gaetz violated federal law by paying for sex, including with women younger than 18.
The Spin
Republican narrative
This decision is being rightly celebrated by Republicans, deservedly condemning the DOJ for damaging Gaetz's reputation. This was a failed smear campaign through a bogus investigation. The decision is an embarrassment for the activists within the deep state of the Democratic Party establishment, the US government, and mainstream media who attempted to tear Gaetz down.
Democratic narrative
Gaetz's associate Greenberg was a much easier case for the DOJ to handle than the high-profile matter of a House Republican. While equal under the law, it is harder in reality to prosecute a member of Congress that has allied himself so closely with Donald Trump. For the DOJ to potentially bring and lose a case against Gaetz would have enormous consequences, seemingly a risk the Justice Department is unwilling to take.