Florida Bar Dismisses Criminal Complaint Against Gaetz

Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was the subject of a criminal complaint to the Florida Bar related to the claims he engaged in sex trafficking and activity with a minor, which the Bar recently dismissed because Rep. Gaetz has not been proven or convicted of a crime.

The criminal complaint against the Florida Congressman was filed in late September by Chaz Stevens, a progressive South Florida activist known for his obscene, profane artwork and displays demanding separation of church and state, often with anti-Christian themes.

As described by NOTUS, the case was debated within the Florida Bar because it did not pertain to Rep. Gaetz's conduct as a lawyer and could appear politically motivated.

"The Bar makes judgment calls. They'll look at something and say: Yes, it's a violation, but do we really want to go into this? This is not about arguing a legal bill or dealing with a constituent. This is personal conduct … but isn't this guy in Congress? Are we dipping into an issue regarding politics?" said Brian Tannebaum, a Miami defense lawyer.

David Rothman, another defense lawyer, was also quoted as saying, "[Gaetz] could be sanctioned. But it's very rare that a criminal conduct allegation against a lawyer winds up being a Bar case without an attendant criminal investigation and prosecution," noting that the Department of Justice had already dismissed their investigation into the claims surrounding the Florida Congressman.

The Florida Bar agreed in their dismissal letter that "to discipline an attorney that has engaged in criminal conduct, a court with proper jurisdiction must find that the attorney, in fact, committed a crime."

During the investigation against him, Gaetz produced strong evidence that he and his family were being extorted by former Department of Justice (DOJ) official David McGee, with convicted felon and former ally of Gaetz Joel Greenberg and the minor whom Gaetz supposedly interacted with, who was a victim of Greenberg, acting as accomplices.