Federal prosecutors are looking into whether Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) obstructed justice during a phone call with a witness in the ongoing investigation into the lawmaker, according to multiple reports.
The witness is reportedly a woman who was introduced to Gaetz by his associate, former Seminole County, Fla., tax collector Joel Greenberg, who pleaded guilty to six federal crimes last month, including sex trafficking of a minor.
Greenberg has entered into a plea deal with prosecutors to cooperate in the federal investigation into Gaetz’s alleged involvement in sex trafficking and a sexual relationship with a minor.
The obstruction investigation is looking into a phone call the witness had with Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend, during which she allegedly patched the lawmaker into the call, Politico first reported.
The witness later spoke with prosecutors in the case, the news outlet added.
Federal investigators’ concerns over efforts to obstruct the investigation stretch back to at least last year, according to CNN.
Last month, the network reported that Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend is cooperating with federal authorities in their investigation into the congressman’s alleged involvement in sex trafficking and a sexual relationship with a minor.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in the case. A Gaetz spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill that “Congressman Gaetz pursues justice, he doesn’t obstruct it.”
“The anonymous allegations have thus far amounted to lies, wrapped in leaks, rooted in an extortion plot by a former DOJ [Department of Justice] official. After two months, there is still not a single on-record accusation of misconduct, and now the ‘story’ is changing yet again,” the spokesperson said.
“Rep. Gaetz’s legal team continues to investigate the attempted extortion of a sitting U.S. Congressman and anyone who may be connected to it,” the spokesperson continued.
Gaetz in March said he was the victim of “an organized criminal extortion” involving a former Justice Department official.
“Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name,” Gaetz said in a series of tweets at the time.
“No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation,” he added.