Florida GOP candidate represented man accused in sex trafficking scheme

Mike Beltran, a Republican candidate for Florida's 14th Congressional District, filed a defamation lawsuit in 2023 against a woman trafficked as a teen. The suit was brought on behalf of Chris Dorworth, a former state legislator and lobbyist accused of participating in a sex trafficking scheme with former congressman Matt Gaetz. Court records indicate that Beltran, who is now running to unseat Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, represented Dorworth in state court before the case moved to federal district court. The legal action alleged that the victim, identified as A.B., conspired with the family of Joel Greenberg and defamed Dorworth through statements made to federal law enforcement officials.

The woman named in the lawsuit is the same individual identified in a 2024 report by the House Ethics Committee. The bipartisan panel found substantial evidence that Gaetz had sex with a minor in 2017 at Dorworth's home. The report stated the victim was 17 years old and had just finished her junior year of high school. It also noted that she was paid for the encounter. Greenberg, a Gaetz associate, pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking in 2022. Neither Gaetz nor Dorworth has been criminally charged, and both men have denied wrongdoing. Beltran has not been accused of any misconduct related to the case.

The 14th District seat is currently held by Kathy Castor. She was redistricted this year into a Republican-leaning area that voted for Donald Trump by 11 points in 2024. Polling indicates a close race between the two candidates as the midterm elections approach. Florida Republicans have sought to flip this Tampa-area seat, but recent data suggests the margin of victory is narrower than expected. Beltran is campaigning as a fiscal conservative and is challenging the incumbent in a district that includes parts of Tampa and the surrounding region.

Will Hampson, a spokesman for the Beltran campaign, defended the legal work in a statement. He said the country was founded on the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and entitled to a defense. Hampson described Beltran's representation of Dorworth as a constitutionally mandated duty. He criticized media coverage of the connection, arguing that the candidate was simply performing his job as an attorney. The campaign stated that Beltran has not been involved with Dorworth since 2024 and no longer represents him.

Beltran served three terms in the Florida legislature before declining to run for reelection in 2024 to grow his law practice. During that time, he focused on limiting government and protecting the unborn. In his current congressional bid, he positions himself as a member willing to defy his own party on fiscal issues. His legal history has become a focal point for both parties as they scrutinize candidates' records on sex crime cases and links to sex offenders.

A civil lawsuit filed in Florida earlier this month names Gaetz, Dorworth, and Greenberg as defendants. The suit alleges that the three men coordinated the recruitment of young women for sex between 2017 and 2019 while Gaetz served in Congress. The complaint claims the men facilitated these encounters with drugs. Gaetz has denied the allegations of sexual misconduct for years. In a statement to the Miami Herald, he said he would defend himself in court and finally have the chance to confront his accusers.

The Justice Department investigated Gaetz from at least 2021 until February 2023. At that time, the agency decided not to bring charges. Reports cited by the New York Times indicated that prosecutors were concerned about the credibility of the central witness before a jury. Beltran filed more than two dozen motions and notices in the defamation case between April 2023 and August 2024. He was replaced as counsel in August 2024. On that same day, Dorworth's new lawyer asked the court to dismiss the victim from the case, citing a resolution between the parties.