GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a close ally of former President Donald J. Trump, is being investigated by the Justice Department over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him, according to three people briefed on the matter who spoke to the New York Times.
According to the bombshell report, investigators are examining whether Mr. Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. “A variety of federal statutes make it illegal to induce someone under 18 to travel over state lines to engage in sex in exchange for money or something of value.
The Justice Department regularly prosecutes such cases, and offenders often receive severe sentences,” reported Michael Schmidt and Katie Benner. “It was not