House investigators scrutinize Rep. Matt Gaetz's defunct federal criminal sex trafficking probe

Investigators with the House Ethics Committee appear to be taking a deeper look at the now closed federal probe into the conduct of Rep. Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, and have in recent weeks reached out to witnesses and the Justice Department for information, according to multiple sources familiar with the recent developments. At least one witness has sat for an interview, one of the sources said.

Gaetz, who is being investigated by the House committee over allegations that include sexual misconduct, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Department last year declined to charge Gaetz in its sex trafficking investigation.

An individual was contacted by congressional investigators two weeks ago with a request for records tied to the now defunct federal investigation into whether the congressman violated sex trafficking laws, one of the sources said Wednesday.