Summary
House Ethics Committee Chair Rep. Michael Guest has ended the committee’s investigation into former Rep.
Matt Gaetz after Gaetz withdrew from Trump’s attorney general nomination and announced he would not seek reelection.
Gaetz had faced allegations of paying a minor for sex and drug use, as well as federal investigations into sex trafficking and obstruction, though no charges were filed.
The committee’s report remains unreleased, with further review set for Dec. 5. Florida will hold a special election to fill Gaetz’s vacated congressional seat.
Federal prosecutors have to weigh likelihood of securing a conviction. In this case they determined the likelihood wasn’t high enough. This isn’t because of a lack of evidence but rather whether witnesses (ie his victims) would have been convincing enough to a jury.