Attorneys for far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz said Wednesday, “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.”
News broke in 2021 that the Florida Republican was under federal investigation for sex trafficking of a minor and other alleged offenses, and he earned a Republican primary challenge the following year from self-funder Mark Lombardo. Lombardo ran several ads focused on the allegations against Gaetz, as well as a spot that even speculated, without evidence, that Gaetz might be the government informant who prompted the FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago.
GOP voters in this safely red seat responded by renominating the incumbent 70-24. One month later, The Washington Post reported that the prosecutors working the case recommended against indicting the congressman because they believed that there were too many credibility issues with a pair of key witnesses for them to secure an indictment.