Booker Joins Senate Judiciary Democrats in Letter Asking FBI for Complete Evidentiary File in the Investigation Matt Gaetz

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) ) joined Senate Judiciary Democrats in a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting that the FBI provide to the Senate Judiciary Committee the complete evidentiary file, including documents memorializing interviews, in the closed investigation of former Congressman Matt Gaetz's alleged sex trafficking of minors. The letter follows President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of his intention to nominate Mr. Gaetz to serve as Attorney General.

The Senators wrote, "We request that you provide to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary the complete evidentiary file, including all FD-302 forms memorializing interviews, in the closed investigation of former Congressman Matt Gaetz's alleged sex trafficking of minors. As you are aware, President-elect Trump has announced his intent to nominate Mr. Gaetz to be Attorney General. The Senate has a constitutional duty to provide advice and consent on presidential nominees, and it is crucial that we review all the information necessary to fulfill this duty as we consider Mr. Gaetz's nomination."

Their letter continued, "The grave public allegations against Mr. Gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the federal government. The unanswered questions regarding Mr. Gaetz's alleged conduct are particularly significant given that his associate, Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking charge for which Mr. Gaetz was also investigated."

There is substantial precedent for providing such materials to Congress. In fact, during a February 6, 2002, House Committee on Government Reform hearing into impropriety within the confidential informant program at the FBI Boston Regional Office, Dan Bryant, the then-Department of Justice's Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs, acknowledged dozens of prior instances of deliberative documents relating to open and closed investigations being shared with Congress. Since then, the FBI has continued to produce materials concerning both open and closed investigations-such as testimony, memos, communications, and FD-302s-to both chambers of Congress.

The Senators' letter concludes, "In order for the Senate to perform its constitutional duty in this instance, we must be able to thoroughly review all relevant materials that speak to the credibility of these serious allegations against Mr. Gaetz."

The letter was led by Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and signed by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA).

To read the full text of the letter, click here.