Overview
- James Fishback publicly accused Rep. Byron Donalds of being the subject of a Department of Justice sex‑trafficking probe at a Tallahassee press conference on Thursday.
- A DOJ law enforcement official told reporters there is no sex‑trafficking investigation of Donalds and said any inquiry involving Rep. Cory Mills is finance‑related.
- Donalds’ campaign called the allegation “completely false” and has moved to dismiss the claim as a baseless distraction from the final weeks of the Republican primary.
- Fishback said his claim rests on an anonymous whistleblower he described as familiar with the matter, he said he confirmed the tip, and he pledged not to run attack ads while polling behind Donalds before the Aug. 18 primary.
- Coverage varies by outlet, with some reporting the allegation and the DOJ rebuttal and others highlighting Fishback’s timing and legal troubles, a mix that could intensify scrutiny of the race in the closing days before the primary.