Matt Gaetz’s communication director Luke Ball resigns ‘out of principle’

Congressman under federal investigation over alleged sexual misconduct

Matt Gaetz’s communications director Luke Ball has resigned from his job “out of principle.”

The resignation comes amid a federal probe into whether the Florida Republican had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. The congressman has denied the accusation and claimed he is the victim of attempted extortion.

The federal probe is linked to one into an indicted Florida politician named Joel Greenberg and focuses on allegations that multiple women were recruited online for sex and received cash payments, reported the New York Times.

Mr Ball “quit his job out of principle” a person with knowledge of the situation told NBC News.

“The Office of Congressman Matt Gaetz and Luke Ball have agreed that it would be best to part ways,” Mr Gaetz’s office said in a statement.

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”We thank him for his time in our office, and we wish him the best moving forward.”

The pro-Trump congressman has strongly denied all the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him and has claimed that he is the victim of a $25 million extortion plot.

Mr Greenberg is a former Florida tax collector was was indicted last year on a federal sex trafficking charge.

“Matt Gaetz has never paid for sex,” Mr Gaetz’s office said in a statement to the New York Times.

“Matt Gaetz refutes all the disgusting allegations completely. Matt Gaetz has never ever been on any such websites whatsoever. Matt Gaetz cherishes the relationships in his past and looks forward to marrying the love of his life.”

Earlier this week Mr Gaetz appeared on Fox News and told Tucker Carlson in an interview that his family was working with the FBI.

He named former federal prosecutor David McGee as being involved in the plot and claimed his father had worn a wire in a meeting with Mr McGee.

Mr McGee, who now works for a Florida law firm, strongly denied the claims.