>> so i was contacted by david mcgee in october.ked me to meet with somebody, which steven offered, because he wanted to help with levenson, and believed he could get him out. after the rescue attempt fell apart in july, i had no contact with dave after that. i said sorry it didn't work out. we went forward. he wished me the best of luck in my future endeavors. then when he contacted me in october, he asked me, is it possible -- is levinson still alive and is it possible to rescue him? i went back to the network and asked the question. they said yes, we think he might still be alive. we can't do it the way we did last time. we have to do it from the top down this time. when dave vouched for steven, that was good enough for me. >> i know, mr. kent. you find some of these questions frustrating. but you do understand, gaetz has put you in a pickle here, because he has taken the situation of your soliciting help with the father as the indication of what the scandal really is here. that people are missing the ball. it's not about him. it

don gaetz says he wears a wire and david mcgee says i am not involved in anything like that. i just represent the levinson family. i was hoping to get help for them potentially but he has never truly confirmed they talked about the levinsons. the fbi is investigating that separately. the fbi is concerned about someone who would throw this, at the time, nonpublic allegation of sex trafficking in the gaetz's family face. sources tell us look, none of those folks seem to have an apparent connection to the case except they found out about it. in other words they are not going to gaetz on behalf of the 17-year-old alleged victim in the case and saying you need to pay this woman money to make the allegations go away. they are referencing almost bizarre subplot having to do with bob levinson. he is also presumed to be dead. host: thank you for taking us through all of this. matt zapotsky, national security reporter for the washington post >> c-span's "washington journal," every day. we are taking your calls live on the air discussing the news every day and discussing policy issues t

. >> reporter: during the interview gaetz expanded naming a david mcgee as the former department of justicerosecutor behind it. >> they're merely intended to bleed my family out of money and this former department of justice official tomorrow was supposed to be contacted by my father so that specific instructions could be given regarding the wiring of $4.5 million as a down payment on this bribe. >> reporter: david mcgee's law if i firm telling cnn the allegation by the congressman is false and defamatory. while with the doj he would have never entertained a scheme like congressman gaetz suggests. cnn learned the investigation is a broader probe of a politician here in florida. ted federal authorities are investigating joel greenburg in central, florida. he was arrested last year on charges which include harassing a political opponent and sex trafficking of a minor. greenburg seen here in photos with matt gaetz has pleaded not guilty and awaiting trial. the fbi in jacksonville refused to comment to cnn on the existence or status of the investigation directing us to the department of justice

. >> reporter: the man gaetz accuses of extortion, former federal prosecutor david mcgee, has been in private practice for the last 25 years. mcgee's law firm saying gaetz's claims are both false and defamatory law enforcement officials also confirming to nbc news they're investigating gaetz's allegations he's being extorted and say the separate sex trafficking investigation began last year. today, the top house republican saying gaetz's seat on th powerful ju tish area committee could be in jeopardy >> those are serious implications if it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that was the case, but right now, as matt gaetz says, it is not true we don't have any information. let's get all the information. >> reporter: late today, gaetz father telling politico h was working with the fbi on the extortion investigation. he even wore a wire. matt gaetz is calling the fbi to release tapes, but the fbi is not commenting lester >> all right, sam, thank you. >>> president biden unveiled his plan to upgrade the nature's nation's infrastructure and tackle climate change at a steep c

his co-conspirators >> reporter: the man gaetz accuses of extortion, former federal prosecutor david mcgee practice for the last 25 years. mcgee's law firm saying gaetz's claims are both false and defamatory law enforcement officials also confirming to nbc news they are investigating gaetz's allegations he's being extorted and say the separate sex trafficking investigation began last year. the top house republican saying gaetz's seat on the powerful judiciary committee could be in jeopardy >> those are serious implications if it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that was the case right now, matt gaetz says it is not true and we don't have any information. let's get all the information. >> reporter: gaetz's father telling politico he was working with the fbi on an extortion investigation. even wore a wire mauts gaetz has called for the fbi to release those tapes at the moment, the agency isn't responding >>> still to come -- covering the bottom line. why toilet paper prices are about to soar. >> and the huge amount netflix is shelling out to take a stab at the knives out seq

. >> the levenson family attorney is david mcgee, the same man gaetz named in a fox news interview blamingtion attempt. >> i know there was a demand for money in exchange for a commitment that he could make this investigation go away along with his coconspirators. >> mcgee responded, the allegation by the congressman is both false and defamatory. then attorney general bill barr received multiple briefings while he was in office on the sex trafficking investigation into gaetz. a source tells cnn, barr did not take issue with the investigation, which began in the final months of the trump administration. at stake is the florida republican's future. >> if in fact these allegations are true, of course, removal from the judiciary committee is the least that could be done. again, i think from what we've heard so far, this will be a matter for the ethics committee. >> reporter: gaetz previously claimed his father was asked by the government to wear a wire to catch the alleged extorters. tonight he demanded the government release those recordings. e-mails obtained by cnn appear to confirm gaetz's

. >> his name is david mcgee. >> reporter: mcgee a private attorney in florida left the justice department0s. his law firm release ago statement today. the allegation by the congressman is both false and defamatory. while he was with the doj he would never have entertained a scheme such as what congressman gaetz suggests nor would he today. gaetz's interview with tucker carlson took a strange turn. >> you and i went to dinner about two years ago, your wife was there and i brought a friend of mine, you will remember her, and she was actually threatened by the fbi. >> i don't remember the woman you are speaking of or the context at all honestly. >> reporter: carlsson distanced himself afterwards. >> that was one of the weirdest interviews i have ever conducted. >> reporter: cnn has also learned that gaetz has been shopping around for a defense attorney over the past several weeks as his political future really hangs in the balance. earlier today house minority leader kevin mccarthy says he hasn't had a chance to speak with gaetz but acknowledges these allegations are serious and if true he w

s attorney david mcgee.gates says mcgee demanded $25 million to make the allegations go away and that audio tapes from a meeting with mcgee will prove his side of the story. i am demanding that the department of justice and the fbi release the audio recordings that were made under their supervision and at their direction, which will prove my innocence and that will show that these allegations are true. mcgee has denied gates his claims there are reports the gates has been implicated in a broader investigation. the department of justice has yet to comment. there have been some concerning reports about a small number of people getting coronavirus even after they've been fully vaccinated. it's called a breakthrough infection. ktvu is tom vacar looked into the reports and talk with an expert on what these breakthrough and infections mean for the pandemic. so called breakthrough infections happened. one of vaccine fails to protect the fully vaccinated against the virus, bacteria or microorganism that the vaccine

to know in that interview last night, he claimed that a former justice department attorney named david mcgee who has been in private practice was behind the alleged extortion plot mcgee's law firm called it false and defamiliar torre he said this is a blatant attempt to distract from the fact that matt gaetz is apparently about to be indicted for sex trafficking underage girls. we do not know if that is the case the other name you need to know is joel greenberg. the former seminole county florida tax collector who posted this selfie with gaetz and another man back in 2019 as rachel maddow laid out last night, greenberg is a character almost beyond belief he was indicted on charges tied to his allege harassment and stalking of a political opponent and used his position as the seminole county tax collector to obtain surrendered drifrlz and used them to create fake ids for himself. he was charged with sex trafficking of a child between 14 and 18 and alleged indictment to misuse the state motor vehicle data base to obtain information related to individuals with whom he was engaged in sugar daddy

s attorney david mcgee.ates says mcgee demanded $25 million to make the allegations go away and that audio tapes from a meeting with mcgee will prove his side of the story. i am demanding that the department of justice and the fbi release the audio recordings that were made under their supervision and at their direction, which will prove my innocents and that will show that these allegations are true. mcgee has denied gates his claims there are reports the gates has been implicated in a broader investigation. the department of justice has yet to comment. new york is the latest state to legalize recreational marijuana. governor andrew cuomo signed the legislation today, but it could take 18 months for the legal sales to begin. new york will also start expunging criminal records of people with certain marijuana convictions in the past. under the new law, police in new york won't be able to arrest anyone for present. action of marijuana up to three ounces. marijuana is currently legal for adults in 15 states, i

don gaetz says he wears a wire and david mcgee says i am not involved in anything like that. just represent the levinson family. i was hoping to get help for them potentially but he has never truly confirmed they talked about the levinsons. the fbi is investigating that separately. the fbi is concerned about someone who would throw this, at the time, nonpublic allegation of sex trafficking in the gaetz's family face. sources tell us look, none of those folks seem to have an apparent connection to the case except they found out about it. in other words they are not going to gaetz on behalf of the 17-year-old alleged victim in the case and saying you need to pay this woman money to make the allegations go away. they are referencing almost bizarre subplot having to do with bob levinson. he is also presumed to be dead. host: thank you for taking us through all of this. matt zapotsky, national security reporter for the washington post, thank you for getting us up-to-date. guest: thank you. host: we want to know what you think about these allegations against representative matt gae