Republican Florida gubernatorial candidate and Byron Donalds’ major challenger, James Fishback, leveled critical accusations towards Donalds this week, claiming that the gubernatorial candidate is now below investigation for intercourse trafficking.
The Division of Justice and Byron Donalds’ marketing campaign have each denied the claims.
In a video assertion, Fishback claimed a “authorities whistleblower” got here ahead, tying Donalds to an ongoing federal investigation into Rep. Cory Mills and claiming that the investigation facilities round federal intercourse trafficking.
Particulars of the DOJ’s investigation into Mills, reported final month, stay unclear, however we all know it’s, partly, targeted on his funds.
Fishback alleged that the investigation “has now expanded to incorporate U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds,” claiming that Donalds and Mills each are believed to have “solicited, procured, and paid girls for sexual acts” on the MGM Nationwide Harbor resort close to Washington, DC.
WATCH:
This isn’t political. That is about transparency. On July 21, 2026, NBC Information reported that Republican Florida Congressman Cory Mills was below legal investigation by the Division of Justice. Like nearly each federal investigation, this one started with a single suspect and rapidly unfold to incorporate others.
This authorities whistleblower who approached my marketing campaign has confirmed that this investigation has now expanded to incorporate U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds, who together with Cory Mills is below investigation for federal intercourse trafficking. Federal prosecutors are investigating two dates in query: Might 17, 2024, and November 19, 2024, dates when Congresman Mills and Donalds are stated to have traveled to the MGM Nationwide Harbor, a luxurious lodge resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland, the place prosecutors consider that each Mills and Donalds solicited, procured, and paid girls for sexual acts.
Federal prosecutors are within the closing levels of this investigation and can quickly cost each males below Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Part 1952, a felony that carries the conviction of 5 years in jail. Within the coming hours, Byron Donalds will name this investigation a political assault. It’s not. The Division of Justice, led by a Trump appointee of the identical political celebration, shouldn’t be investigating Congressman Donald’s for political causes. They’re investigating him as a result of there may be credible proof that he dedicated a really critical crime.
Nonetheless, the Division of Justice’s communications denied the declare, accusing Fishback of creating a false accusation, which they referred to as a “harmful type of weaponization.”
“This declare shouldn’t be true. Congressman Byron Donalds shouldn’t be below investigation,” they wrote.
Falsely accusing somebody of being below investigation is a harmful type of weaponization. This declare shouldn’t be true. Congressman Byron Donalds shouldn’t be below investigation. https://t.co/QW26cT7b4d
— DOJ Fast Response (@DOJRR47) August 7, 2026
Byron Donalds’ marketing campaign additionally responded, denying the claims as “utterly false,” Florida Politics reported.
“We is not going to be distracted by this baseless and defamatory sideshow, and neither do you have to,” spokesman Gates McGavick advised the outlet.
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