Act Daily News
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The Justice Department has knowledgeable attorneys for no less than one witness that it’ll not convey prices towards Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz after a years-long federal sex-trafficking investigation.
Senior officers reached out to attorneys for a number of witnesses on Wednesday, a supply accustomed to the matter instructed Act Daily News, to tell them of the choice to not prosecute Gaetz.
The remaining determination was made by Department of Justice management after investigators really helpful towards prices final 12 months.
“We have just spoken with the DOJ and have been informed that they have concluded their investigation into Congressman Gaetz and allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice and they have determined not to bring any charges against him,” Gaetz’s attorneys, Marc Mukasey and Isabelle Kirshner, stated in a press release.
Tim Jansen, a high-powered lawyer representing the congressman’s ex-girlfriend, stated that DOJ officers reached out to him Wednesday and instructed him they’d not be charging Gaetz. The ex-girlfriend was a key witness within the case and had testified earlier than the grand jury in Orlando final 12 months.
The congressman’s workplace stated in a separate assertion that the division knowledgeable them the investigation has ended and no prices might be introduced.
The DOJ’s formal determination to not cost Gaetz, who has been serving in Congress since 2017, marks the top of a long-running investigation into allegations that the congressman violated federal regulation by paying for intercourse, together with with girls who had been youthful than 18 years outdated.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors engaged on the case really helpful towards charging Gaetz in September, partially, due to questions over whether or not central witnesses within the investigation could be perceived as credible earlier than a jury, Act Daily News reported on the time.
But the ultimate determination to not transfer ahead with prices got here from senior division officers. The DOJ declined to remark.
The investigation into Gaetz started in late 2020 underneath then-Attorney General Bill Barr, however ramped up considerably after Gaetz’s shut pal, Joel Greenberg, pleaded responsible to 6 federal crimes, together with a sex-trafficking cost, and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Greenberg’s cooperation led investigators to have a look at Gaetz, together with different allies of Greenberg, for any alleged intercourse trafficking or obstruction of justice.
The investigation additionally scrutinized a number of Gaetz associates together with Dr. Jason Pirozzolo, who accompanied Gaetz on a 2018 journey to the Bahamas that was a key focus of investigators. Pirozzolo was pushed out of his medical apply after his identify surfaced in some experiences concerning the investigation.
In a press release, his legal professional, David Haas, stated, “Today we were informed by the Department of Justice that it is ending its investigation… Dr. Pirozzolo requests that he and his family’s privacy be respected as the last few years have been extremely difficult to endure.”
Two different individuals in Gaetz’s orbit additionally turned key cooperators, together with the ex-girlfriend who labored on Capitol Hill and has been linked to Gaetz way back to the summer season of 2017, and a Florida radio host who started cooperating after pleading responsible in a separate bribery scheme.
Then, by late 2022, there have been a number of indicators that the Justice Department’s case had practically floor to a halt. The most blatant indicator was that prosecutors lastly agreed to schedule a sentencing date for Greenberg after months of delays whereas he continued to cooperate with the continuing Gaetz probe.
Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in jail in December.
This story has been up to date with further particulars Wednesday.
Source: www.cnn.com