‘Escape From Tarkov’ Wipe And Patch Date Confirmed, And It’s Very Soon

VANCOUVER, British Columbia & MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 24, 2024-- Proton Intelligence Inc., developing the first-ever Continuous Potassium Monitoring (CKMTM) platform, today announced the closing of its $6.95 million USD Seed Financing round joined by SOSV, We Venture Capital, Tenmile, LongeVC, 15th Rock, Exor, and Trampoline Venture Partners. The CKMTM platform is designed to transform the management of cardio-kidney-metabolic diseases by providing clinicians and patients crucial data about potassium levels on-demand. Potassium is both the most important biomarker in cardiac-kidney-metabolic diseases and the hardest to measure. Dangerous fluctuations in potassium levels—whether too high or too low—lead to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The inability to provide timely potassium levels to patients and providers is a major barrier to getting patients on the correct life-saving therapies. About 33% of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or heart failure (HF) unnecessarily stop life-saving therapy after a high potassium event, which ultimately results in a nearly 40% increase in 6-month mortality [ 1 ]. Proton’s CKMTM technology aims to provide providers and patients accurate, remote, continuous potassium levels allowing precise treatment of patients suffering from kidney disease or heart failure. "We are proud to be the first institutional investor in Proton Intelligence," said Mohan S. Iyer, General Partner at SOSV. "The team's exceptional focus and relentless execution inspire confidence, and we are excited to continue to support them as they move into clinical validation.” “We Venture Capital have been impressed by this true breakthrough in electrolyte sensing capability, which will fulfil a critical gap in the current care continuum for many patients at risk from dyskalemia. We look forward to working with the Proton Intelligence team on the next phase of their journey,” said Dr. Louise Warme, Head of We Venture Capital. The company has initiated clinical studies assessing the performance of CKMTM in people living with severely impaired kidney function such as the underserved population living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), 14% of US adults have CKD and account >25% of Medicare spend. Patients with ESRD account for 7% of US Medicare expenditure annually [ 2 ]. “The ability to continuously monitor potassium will enable better data driven decision making for patients with late-stage chronic kidney disease or on dialysis, not only improving outcomes for these patients but saving health systems considerable costs,” said Dr. Steve Burnell, Managing Director at Tenmile. “This fundraising milestone represents a major leap forward for us,” said Dr. Sahan Ranamukhaarachchi, Founder and CEO of Proton Intelligence Inc. “We are immensely grateful for the trust and support of our investors, who share our vision of revolutionizing cardio-kidney-metabolic care. Their belief in our mission sees us funded through a number of clinical feasibility trials ahead of a pivotal study planned for 2026 and get closer to making CKMTM a reality for millions of patients.” About Proton Intelligence Inc. Proton Intelligence Inc. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada , with R&D operations in Melbourne, Australia . The company is revolutionizing healthcare with its continuous electrolyte monitoring technology, starting with CKMTM for potassium (akin to continuous glucose monitoring in diabetes). The CKMTM platform addresses a critical challenge in cardio-kidney-metabolic disease management by enabling the safe implementation of optimal medical therapies. About SOSV SOSV is a multi-stage, deep tech venture investor committed to “human and planetary health,” and invests beginning at a startup’s inception, the “First Check in Deep Tech®.” Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, SOSV operates the deeply resourced startup development programs in New York City and San Francisco (IndieBio) and Newark, NJ (HAX) equipped with labs for bio-safety, chem, food, EE, analytics and mechatronics. The SOSV ecosystem spans the globe, with 800+ startups operating in 40 countries. About We Venture Capital We Venture Capital is a specialized fund investing in diagnostics, as well as tools and digital solutions in the diagnostics area. Being the corporate investment arm of Werfen, a worldwide leader in specialized diagnostics, We Venture Capital is an active investor, leveraging the network and knowledge from Werfen to the benefit of our investments. We invest in and partner with early-stage startups close to market entry or early scale-ups, working closely with our portfolio to support their growth over time. We are firm believers of technical advancement as a means to improve patient outcomes and revolutionize healthcare. About Tenmile ​Tenmile is a health technology investment business that partners with early-stage companies to target unmet needs in healthcare and develop the Australian health commercialisation ecosystem. Launched in September 2022 with a $250m commitment we have team members in Perth, Sydney and New York. Health technology covers digital health, diagnostics, medical devices, tools, and therapeutics. Visit our website for more information: https://www.protonintelligence.com/ View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241224844196/en/ CONTACT: Media Rory St Clair marketing@protonintel.com KEYWORD: AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA AUSTRALIA NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CARDIOLOGY BIOTECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY MANAGED CARE HEALTH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES RESEARCH SOFTWARE SCIENCE CLINICAL TRIALS SOURCE: Proton Intelligence Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/24/2024 05:29 PM/DISC: 12/24/2024 05:29 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241224844196/en

Republican protests in close North Carolina races dismissed by elections board

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has not missed many games during his two decades in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, and that remarkable durability is one reason why he is fast-approaching Wayne Gretzky's career goals record. The Capitals had lost 33 of their 59 games without Ovechkin in the lineup during his first 19 seasons, including 23 of 36 over the past decade. In stark contrast to that, they've won six of nine since the 39-year-old captain was sidelined by a broken left fibula — a testament to a roster built not only to help him break the record but prepare the organization for the post-Ovechkin era. “Ovi, he’s a legend, he’s special, he’s always going to probably lead the team in goals and we’re a better team with him, but we’re also a team where I think we’re not necessarily maybe relying on one or two players to win games,” said center Lars Eller, who rejoined the team in a trade from Pittsburgh a month ago. “We have four pretty strong lines, three D pairs and two good goalies. We don’t depend on one or two individuals, and I think that’s the strength of the team.” Depth fortified by the additions of centers Dylan Strome , Pierre-Luc Dubois and Eller, wingers Andrew Mangiapane , Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin and goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson over the past few years has been the key to remaining a playoff contender. Longtime general manager Brian MacLellan, who after the most recent makeover this past summer handed day-to-day duties to Chris Patrick and moved upstairs as president of hockey operations, excelled in keeping Washington's winning window open with Ovechkin in the second-to-last year of his contract. Veteran defenseman John Carlson said the infusion of talent “really lit a fire under everybody.” The Capitals led the Eastern Conference when Ovechkin got injured Nov. 18, and they remain atop the East more than three weeks into his absence. Fourteen players have scored a goal during this stretch, including six wins and an overtime defeat since losing the first two without him. “We’re a deep group,” said right winger Tom Wilson, the team's leading scorer during this stretch with nine points on five goals and four assists who expects to continue playing with a shield protecting his face after breaking a small bone in the sinus cavity area on the left side. "Everybody’s kind of stepping up on any given night. It’s a real group effort, and I think guys are really playing for each other.” Carlson, who along with Ovechkin, Wilson and now Eller upon return are the only players left from Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, also sees it as a case of younger teammates taking advantage of this chance. “There’s the colossal emptiness of it, but there’s also a lot of opportunity for guys who would never otherwise be there when he’s on this team,” Carlson said. “When someone goes down, it’s obviously always kind of a rallying thing where guys need to step up, guys need to fill in and play bigger roles and play more minutes. But I think the way that our team’s built is depth, and that’s been our strength this year is kind of contributions from everybody.” Ovechkin led all players with 15 goals when he went down, and the Capitals were the high-scoring team in the league at 4.33 goals a game. They still are, down just a tick to an average of 4.04, and their 16 goals from defensemen are a big reason for that after ranking second-last in blue line production last season. “We’re playing to our structure and doing what we want to do out there,” said Chychrun, who has eight points in nine games as part of an impressive start to his contract year. “We’ve got a D corps where everybody’s a really good player on that back end and can play in all situations and two-way guys and guys who have contributed offensively throughout their career.” Another major defense is second-year coach Spencer Carbery , who acknowledged the structure and playing standard as a good place to start but pointed the credit to veteran leaders like Carlson, Strome, Wilson and Nic Dowd for shepherding the Capitals through Ovechkin-less hockey. “They don’t go around the room and go, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do more, guys,’” Carbery said. “They don’t announce it, but what they do is they think about it and go: ‘OK, we’re missing him. I’ve got to step my game up and I need to bring more.’ And that’s not just on the ice, on the power play, on 5 on 6 when we’re defending a lead. It’s not just the Xs and Os. It’s in the locker room. It’s energy in practice. It’s all the things that he brings every day when he’s in the lineup and when he’s practicing.” Ovechkin skated before practice Wednesday and got an assist from longtime running mate Nicklas Backstrom, who stepped away 13 months ago because of a lingering hip injury. Carlson quipped, “I think Ovi wanted someone with a little more skill passing him the rock out there.” The day is coming soon when Ovechkin returns to team drills and then game action. The Capitals are doing more than stay afloat without him, but they'll welcome him back with open arms the moment he's ready. As Eller said, “Obviously I think we’re even better when he’s in the lineup.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Pearl Diver Credit Company Inc. Announces Offering of Series A Preferred StockThe Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. Two goals and an assist for Mo tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/tMXidgeA0P — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2024 “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Market Set for Exceptional Growth in the Forecast 2024-2032 12-25-2024 03:12 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: Cognate Insights Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Market Latest Market Overview The global extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) market is projected to reach USD 450 million by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2024 to 2032. ECMO is a life-saving intervention used to provide cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose heart and lungs are severely compromised. The demand for ECMO is driven by increasing incidences of cardiac and respiratory failure, advancements in ECMO technology, and a growing aging population susceptible to such conditions. Additionally, the rise in the prevalence of critical illnesses such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cardiogenic shock, and severe pneumonia further fuels the market's growth, with ECMO offering a vital role in treatment. The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Market has experienced steady growth in recent years and is expected to continue expanding at a strong pace from 2024 to 2032. This analysis offers a comprehensive overview, providing valuable insights into key trends and developments within the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) industry. These findings equip business leaders with the necessary knowledge to devise more effective strategies and enhance profitability. Furthermore, the report serves as a useful resource for new and emerging businesses, helping them make informed decisions as they navigate the market and seek growth opportunities. Major Players of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Market are: Getinge AB (Sweden): $2.4 billion in revenue (2023) Medtronic plc (Ireland): $31.7 billion in revenue (2023) Terumo Corporation (Japan): $6.2 billion in revenue (2023) LivaNova PLC (United Kingdom): $1 billion in revenue (2023) Fresenius Medical Care (Germany): $19.8 billion in revenue (2023) Get Latest PDF Sample Report @ https://www.cognateinsights.com/request-sample/extracorporeal-membrane-oxygenation-ecmo-market-research Our Report covers global as well as regional markets and provides an in-depth analysis of the overall growth prospects of the market. Global market trend analysis including historical data, estimates to 2024, and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) forecast to 2032 is given based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market segments involving economic and non-economic factors. Furthermore, it reveals the comprehensive competitive landscape of the global market, the current and future market prospects of the industry, and the growth opportunities and drivers as well as challenges and constraints in emerging and emerging markets. Global Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Market Landscape and Future Pathways: North America: United States Canada Europe: Germany France U.K. Italy Russia Asia-Pacific: China Japan South Korea India Australia China Taiwan Indonesia Thailand Malaysia Latin America: Mexico Brazil Argentina Korea Colombia Middle East & Africa: Turkey Saudi Arabia UAE Korea Speak to Our Analyst for A Discussion on The Above Findings, And Ask for A Discount on The Report @ https://www.cognateinsights.com/check-discount/extracorporeal-membrane-oxygenation-ecmo-market-research Key drivers and challenges influencing the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) market: Regional Analysis: The report involves examining the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) market at a regional or national level. 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This release was published on openPR.MoU signed between Water Resources Department and SAC-ISRO under leadership of Gujarat CMHere is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024: Franz Beckenbauer, 78: He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Jan. 7. Jack Burke Jr., 100: He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Gigi Riva, 79: The all-time leading goalscorer for Italy’s men’s national team was known as the “Rombo di Tuono” (Rumble of Thunder). Jan. 22. Carl Weathers, 76: A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Lefty Driesell, 92: The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17. Chris Mortensen, 72: The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN. March 3. Lou Whittaker, 95: A legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and who taught generations of climbers during his more than 250 trips up Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington state. March 24. O.J. Simpson, 76: The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. Carl Erskine, 97: He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Roman Gabriel, 83: The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. Bill Walton, 71: He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. Jerry West, 86: Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. Willie Mays, 93: The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Pål Enger, 57: A talented Norwegian soccer player turned celebrity art thief who pulled off the sensational 1994 heist of Edvard Munch’s famed “The Scream” painting from the National Gallery in Oslo. June 29. Jacoby Jones, 40: A former NFL receiver whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. July 14. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, 88: A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8. Al Attles, 87: A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20. Johnny Gaudreau, 31: An NHL player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Killed along with his brother when hit by a car while riding bicycles. Joe Schmidt, 92: The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11. Pete Rose, 83: Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, 58: A Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer. Fernando Valenzuela, 63: The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22. Bela Karolyi, 82: The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Mary McGee, 87: A female racing pioneer and subject profiled in the Oscar-contending documentary “Motorcycle Mary.” Nov. 27. Lou Carnesecca, 99: The excitable St. John’s coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team’s rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30. Fred Lorenzen, 89: A NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona 500 champion. Dec. 18. Rickey Henderson, 65: MVP, 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion, Gold Glove winner and all-time stolen base leader. Dec. 21 Get local news delivered to your inbox!

US ski star Mikaela Shiffrin said Wednesday that she's "starting to feel a little bit more human" after suffering a puncture wound in a giant slalom crash but confirmed she won't race at Beaver Creek, Colorado, this month. "This is another fairly ambiguous injury and really hard to put a timeline of when I'll be either back on snow or back to racing," Shiffrin said in a video posted on social media. "But I do know that I will not be starting in Beaver Creek." Shiffrin had already said after Saturday's crash she didn't expect to be ready for the Colorado races, a downhill on December 14 and a super-G on December 15. On Wednesday, she said that whatever object caused the puncture in her abdomen also left "tore a cavern" in her oblique muscles. She said she had also undergone further testing to check for possible damage to her colon. "There were some air bubbles where the puncture came pretty close to the colon," she said. "Last night's check confirmed that my colon is, indeed, intact." Shiffrin was closing in on a once unimaginable 100th World Cup victory when she crashed in the second leg of the giant slalom at Killington, Vermont, on Saturday. She hit one gate and tumbled through another before sliding into the catch fencing and was taken from the hill on a sled. She won't miss any races this weekend because the two women's giant slaloms scheduled for Tremblant, Canada, were cancelled because of lack of snow. However, Shiffrin said she would be sorry not to resume her bid for a 100th World Cup win on the circuit's next US stop. "This is a really big bummer, not to be able to race Birds of Prey," Shiffrin said. "But on the other hand I was really lucky and I'm really looking forward to cheering my teammates on racing Beaver Creek." In 2023, Shiffrin broke Ingemar Stenmark's record of 86 World Cup wins, a mark once considered unassailable. Compatriot Lindsey Vonn has the second-most alpine World Cup wins by a woman with 82. bb/js

-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Attorney General Merrick Garland declined to prosecute former Rep. Matt Gaetz , R-Fla., despite a trail of text messages and testimony from seemingly scores of women detailing the Republican lawmaker’s alleged penchant for buying sex, including from a woman he later learned was under 18. Garland’s Justice Department then obstructed congressional investigators, claiming an internal policy — not a statute on the books — barring the sharing of any information, damning or exculpatory, that it uncovered during its own investigation into the congressman. Gaetz was never charged with a federal crime even though his friend, former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg , pleaded guilty over similar allegations. Text messages revealed in the House Ethics Committee report released Monday show Greenberg explicitly facilitated the purchase of sex for his friend in Congress, even sharing a photo of Gaetz in one of the exchanges (followed by the question: “Have you ever tried molly”). In May 2021, Greenberg pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting and paying for sex with a minor, among other federal crimes, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. At the time, federal investigators were still investigating Gaetz and whether he “broke federal sex trafficking, prostitution and public corruption laws,” CNN reported , an investigation that would formally end in February 2023. Prosecuting a crime in an actual court of law is rather different than alleging one in the court of public opinion. A decision to not pursue charges does not necessarily mean someone is innocent in the eyes of the law, but could reflect the perceived difficulty of securing a conviction — of, perhaps, a desire to avoid a political firestorm. Related "Substantial evidence": Ethics report says Matt Gaetz violated statutory rape and drug laws In its report, the House Ethics Committee said it had found “substantial evidence” of Gaetz breaking federal and state laws, noting that an adult man having sex with a 17-year-old constitutes statutory rape in Florida (where the statute of limitations has already expired). Not only did Gaetz “regularly” pay for sex, but he also was using and purchasing drugs from his office on Capitol Hill, investigators allege; at one point, he abused his influence as a member of Congress to help a woman he was having sex with obtain a passport, falsely claiming she was constituent. Investigators also accuse Gaetz of obstructing justice, a federal offense, noting that “some women cited a fear of retaliation from the congressman when declining to speak on the record with the Committee.” In sum, “the Committee concluded there was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress.” The report also accuses the Department of Justice of obstruction, noting that investigators were repeatedly stymied in their attempts to obtain information on Gaetz and his accusers, the department citing a policy against sharing evidence in cases where it has not brought charges. The argument against pursuing at least some federal charges does find support from the committee. Although alleging that Gaetz had sex with a minor — more than once, including in front of witnesses at a party, paying $400 to a girl who “had just completed her junior year of high school” — investigators note potential lines of defense. Speaking to investigators, “Victim A” said she did not tell Gaetz her age at the time nor did he ask it; she also does not allege that the sex was nonconsensual, a key factor for federal prosecutors, though she noted that she was “under the influence of ecstasy during her sexual encounters with Representative Gaetz,” who she said was using cocaine (per investigators, “at least one women felt that the use of drugs at the parties and events they attended may have ‘impair[ed their] ability to really know what was going on or fully consent’”). “The Committee did not obtain substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws,” the report notes. “Transportation of an individual for purposes of commercial sex could violate such laws if the individual was a minor, or if the sexual activity occurred through force, fraud, or coercion.” Put another way: Gaetz has plausible deniability on his side, at least on that particular charge. Former federal prosecutors also told Politico that the Department of Justice is reluctant to prosecute commercial sex crimes in the absence of clear coercion. “It’s a crime, it’s a statute on the books that they can prosecute — but it’s not a high-priority thing,” Robert Bittman told the outlet. “It’s not something that’s often prosecuted, and really would only be prosecuted if there are significant, other aggravating factors.” We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism But critics of the Garland-led DOJ can point to Gaetz’s status as a public official: Shouldn’t lawbreaking by the most powerful be prosecuted as an example for others in the service of good, honest government? They can also point to Joel Greenberg: Here was someone who was indeed charged for trafficking the 17-year-old “Victim A” — a minor who he explicitly arranged to have sex with his friend and U.S. congressman, Matt Gaetz, even sharing a photo to remove any doubt (“Oooh my friend thinks he’s really cute!” the 20-year-old intermediary replied). Greenberg’s lawyer insisted he too had no idea that the girl was underage, telling reporters after his sentencing that the minor had advertised herself as being over 18 on a website for “sugar daddy” relationships. Greenberg’s claimed ignorance did not save him from a federal prison. And he was willing to testify against his former associate; congressional investigators likewise spoke with more than two dozen witnesses of Gaetz’s alleged behavior and compiled a list of 15 women “who were alleged to have received payments from him or on his behalf relating to sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.” The decision not to prosecute Gaetz is legally defensible, at least judging by the former prosecutors willing to defend it and congressional investigators’ admission that the evidence they managed to obtain — without much help from the Department of Justice — would likely not be enough to convict Gaetz, at least on a charge of sex trafficking a child. But it’s also true that Gaetz could have been charged, too: Greenberg was, after all, and Gaetz likewise could be argued to have acted “in reckless disregard of the fact” that the girl with whom he was engaging in a “ commercial sex act ” could have been a minor. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter , Crash Course. In terms of appearances, it at least looks like Gaetz benefited from his notoriety. He was not just some podunk tax collector, but a prominent ally of President-elect Donald Trump — so close to Trump, in fact, that he was put forward as Merrick Garland’s replacement. Was that a factor? According to CNN, the “ final decision ” to not charge Gaetz “was made by Department of Justice leadership after investigators recommended against charges last year." That decision came despite Greenberg spelling out his arrangement with Gaetz. In a text message to Roger Stone, from whom he was seeking help in getting a pardon from then-President Trump, Greenberg said he’d told his lawyers all about the congressman and his escapades. “They know he paid me to pay the girls and that he and I both had sex with the girl who was underage,” Greenberg wrote in December 2020, The Daily Beast reported . Garland’s four-year tenure has been characterized by a hesitancy to pursue high-profile cases against alleged criminals who are top Republicans, it taking him more than a year and a half to appoint a special prosecutor to look into Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, and his retention of classified documents. In that case, according to the Washington Post, “A wariness about appearing partisan, institutional caution, and clashes over how much evidence was sufficient to investigate the actions of Trump and those around him all contributed to the slow pace.” That sure sounds a lot like the Gaetz saga, too — bolstered by the fact that an alleged co-conspirator is behind bars while the man who was a member of Congress remains free, just as dozens of rioters are imprisoned while the man accused of inciting them is returning to the White House. Tristan Snell, a former New York state prosecutor who investigated Trump and his businesses, put it this way: “Sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, statutory rape, cocaine/ecstasy use, bribery, abuse of his office, obstruction of justice,” he wrote on social media. “Federal prosecutors knew ALL this about Matt Gaetz[.] And yet they didn’t charge him with anything — they let him walk.” Read more about Merrick Garland Merrick Garland, Donald Trump and the fall of France “Cowardly”: Legal experts slam Garland for punting to special counsel after Trump announcement "The weakness is off the charts": Ex-prosecutors sound alarm on team Garland assigned to Trump case By Charles R. Davis Charles R. Davis is Salon's deputy news editor. His work has aired on public radio and been published by outlets such as The Guardian, The Daily Beast, The New Republic and Columbia Journalism Review. MORE FROM Charles R. Davis Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Analysis Joel Greenberg Matt Gaetz Merrick Garland Tristan Snell Related Articles Advertisement: