
Rep. Matt Gaetz denies relationship with 17-year-old and claims extortion attempt
CNN
Rep. Matt Gaetz on Tuesday denied that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old after the New York Times reported that, according to its sources, the Justice Department was investigating a possible sexual relationship with the girl and whether he paid for her to travel with him.
The Florida Republican said in a statement to CNN that "no part of the allegations against me are true" and that the claims were being pushed by people who are targets of an "ongoing extortion investigation." "Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name. We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI's direction to catch these criminals," Gaetz claimed.
20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials
The Trump administration violated federal privacy laws when it turned over Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleged on Tuesday, saying he and 19 other states’ attorneys general have sued over the move.

A federal judge in Brooklyn has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end temporary protected status for Haitian migrants ahead of schedule, ruling that the Department of Homeland Security violated the law in its rush to strip deportation protections and work permits from over half a million people.

Tennessee has passed a sweeping measure to combat bullying, targeting teenagers where it may hurt the most: revoking their ability to drive. The legislation, which took effect Tuesday, allows courts to suspend the driver’s licenses of minors found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying for up to a year.