DOJ Drops Case Against Former GOP Congressman Jeff Fortenberry

The Justice Department dismissed campaign finance charges after a court overturned his 2022 conviction due to improper trial venue.

Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss charges against former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry with prejudice, preventing the case from being refiled.
Fortenberry had been convicted in 2022 of lying to the FBI about illegal campaign contributions, but the conviction was overturned in 2023 due to improper trial venue.
The case involved $30,000 in illegal donations funneled to Fortenberry's campaign by Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagoury through straw donors at a Los Angeles fundraiser.
President Trump celebrated the dismissal, calling the charges baseless and part of a politically motivated weaponization of the justice system.
The decision aligns with broader DOJ actions under Trump’s administration to end prosecutions of his political allies and review cases of alleged government overreach.