Breaking News: James Fishback Accuses Byron Donalds of Being Part of Federal Sex Trafficking Investigation, DOJ Official Denies Claim
Florida’s increasingly bitter Republican gubernatorial primary erupted Thursday after candidate James Fishback publicly accused frontrunner and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of being part of a federal sex trafficking investigation, an explosive allegation that Donalds’ campaign immediately denounced and that a Justice Department law enforcement official has since denied.
Fishback made the accusations during an August 6 press conference in Tallahassee and in subsequent social media posts, claiming information provided by an anonymous government whistleblower indicated that a reported Justice Department investigation involving Florida Congressman Cory Mills had expanded to include Donalds. Fishback alleged that Donalds and Mills solicited and paid women for sexual acts during two trips to MGM National Harbor in Maryland in 2024.
There is currently no publicly released federal indictment, criminal complaint or Justice Department announcement substantiating Fishback’s allegations against Donalds. More significantly, a federal law-enforcement official told the Washington Examiner on Thursday that the Justice Department is not investigating Donalds for sex trafficking and that the reported investigation involving Mills is financial rather than sexual in nature.
That distinction is critical: Fishback has made an extraordinary accusation, but the available public evidence does not independently establish that Donalds is under a federal sex trafficking investigation.
Fishback Says Whistleblower Connected Donalds to Mills Investigation
Fishback said his information originated with an anonymous government whistleblower whom he characterized as familiar with the federal investigation. According to Fishback, federal investigators were examining two specific dates, May 17, 2024, and November 19, 2024, when he alleges Donalds and Mills traveled to MGM National Harbor, a large casino and resort complex in Oxon Hill, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C.
Fishback alleged the two congressmen “solicited, procured, and paid women for sexual acts” during those trips. He further claimed his legal team had independently verified that Donalds and Mills were at the resort on the dates in question through messages attributed to Mills. (WKMG)
However, evidence showing two people were at the same location would not, by itself, establish criminal conduct, prostitution or sex trafficking. Fishback has not publicly produced Justice Department charging documents or other federal records demonstrating that Donalds is a target or subject of a sex trafficking investigation. Fishback also did not take questions from reporters following Thursday’s Tallahassee press conference, according to published reports.
Justice Department Official Denies Sex Trafficking Investigation
Hours after Fishback’s allegations began spreading, the Washington Examiner reported that a Justice Department law enforcement official directly disputed his central claim. The official said there is no Justice Department investigation into Donalds and specifically denied that either Donalds or Mills is being investigated for federal sex trafficking. According to the official, the investigation involving Mills concerns financial matters.
That account is consistent with earlier reporting from ABC News, which reported on July 22 that the Justice Department was investigating Mills and that the investigation involved his finances, at least in part. ABC News reported at the time that additional details surrounding the federal investigation were unclear.
Mills has denied wrongdoing and previously said he was unaware of a Justice Department investigation into him. The House Ethics Committee has separately investigated allegations involving Mills, including potential campaign-finance violations and allegations of sexual misconduct or dating violence. Mills has denied allegations of sexual misconduct. The congressional ethics inquiry and any Justice Department investigation are separate matters. (ABC7 Los Angeles)
Donalds Campaign Calls Allegations “Completely False”
Donalds’ campaign responded aggressively, describing Fishback’s accusations as false and defamatory.
“Completely false,” Donalds campaign communications director Gates McGavick told the Washington Examiner, adding that the campaign would not be distracted by what it called a “baseless and defamatory sideshow.”
Donalds had already attacked Fishback’s credibility before Thursday’s announcement, describing his rival as a “clown” and characterizing the accusations as the product of a desperate campaign.
“We’re at that point in the campaign where people are just throwing anything they can,” Donalds said earlier this week, according to the Washington Examiner.
Fishback Says His Campaign Will Not Run Ads About Allegations
Fishback insisted during his announcement that his decision to publicize the allegations was not a political maneuver. He said he had given Donalds an opportunity to address what he characterized as the investigation before going public and claimed Donalds declined to do so. Fishback also said he had instructed his campaign not to use the allegations in political advertising because, in his words, “this is not political.”
The timing, however, puts the accusations directly into the center of Florida’s Republican gubernatorial primary. Fishback made the announcement less than two weeks before Florida Republicans are scheduled to vote in the August 18 primary. Donalds has been leading Fishback by double digits in polling cited by the Washington Examiner and has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
What Is Actually Confirmed
The developing story involves several separate claims that should not be conflated. It is independently reported that the Justice Department is investigating Mills, with ABC News citing multiple sources familiar with the matter and reporting that the investigation concerns his finances at least in part. Mills disputes that reporting and says he is unaware of such an investigation.
Fishback is now publicly alleging that the Mills investigation expanded to Donalds and involves federal sex trafficking. Fishback says an anonymous government whistleblower provided the information and says his team independently verified certain details surrounding travel by Mills and Donalds. (WKMG)
But a Justice Department law-enforcement official has directly denied Fishback’s characterization, saying Donalds is not under investigation and the Mills investigation is not sexual in nature. No publicly available federal charging document currently supports Fishback’s sex-trafficking allegation. (Washington Examiner)
That makes this, at present, a major political accusation, not an established finding of criminal wrongdoing.
Explosive Allegations Hit Florida Governor’s Race
Regardless of whether Fishback’s claims ultimately produce additional evidence, the controversy has injected an extraordinary new element into the race to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The allegation involves two sitting Republican members of Congress, a reported Justice Department investigation and one of the leading candidates to become Florida’s next governor.
It also creates a major credibility test for Fishback. If federal records, additional witnesses or independent reporting eventually substantiate his claims, the political consequences for Donalds could be enormous. If they do not, Fishback will have publicly accused a political opponent of involvement in one of the most serious categories of federal crimes without producing independently verified evidence that such an investigation exists.
For now, the most important fact is also the simplest: Fishback has made the allegation; Donalds categorically denies it; and a Justice Department law enforcement official has told at least one national news organization that Fishback’s central claim is false. The story remains developing.
Sources
10 Tampa Bay — Fishback Accuses Donalds of Federal Sex-Trafficking Investigation
Click Orlando — Fishback Allegations Against Byron Donalds
Washington Examiner — DOJ Official Denies Fishback’s Claim
ABC News — DOJ Investigation Into Rep. Cory Mills
WUSF — Cory Mills Responds to DOJ Investigation Reports
