'Very ominous development': Legal experts explain why Matt Gaetz ex-girlfriend’s deal could mean a lot of trouble

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz may be facing a lot of legal trouble after his ex-girlfriend was granted immunity. The Florida Republican who was convicted sex trafficker Joel Greenberg‘s “wingman” is reportedly being investigated by the Dept. of Justice for sex trafficking of a minor and obstruction of justice.

Last week Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend, whose name is not being released to the public, was granted immunity according to CBS News, and “full immunity” according to at least one legal expert, before she testified to a federal grand jury.

“She is viewed as a potential key witness, according to two sources familiar with the investigation,” CBS News reports. “One of the sources said she has information related to the investigation of both the sex trafficking and obstruction allegations.”

Former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman, now an LA Times columnist, writes: “This doesn’t happen casually to help further investigation. This rather happens when there is a target that the immunized witness has critical info to bring down. Very ominous development for Gaetz.”

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He adds that even just requesting an immunity deal “is itself an elaborate process requiring sign off from Main Justice,” meaning top officials at the Dept. of Justice, up to or including the Attorney General. Gaetz’s former girlfriend “likely has significant information of Gaetz’s involvement in both the trafficking charge and the obstruction.”

“And further, only after elaborate Negotiations between the witness’s lawyer and the government designed to show the government just how much she can inculpate the target,” Litman adds, stressing how much worse this could be for Gaetz.

Another former federal prosecutor, now a law professor at George Washington University Law School also calls the immunity deal “ominous.”