obstruct

The separate investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which will now be closed out, was considering whether Gaetz “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use” or “sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct,” among other things, the committee said in June.

Smith's case against Trump in D.C., accusing him of attempting to subvert President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory and obstruct Congress' certification of the results on Jan. 6, 2021, was dealt a heavy blow in July when the Supreme Court ruled the former president was broadly immune from official acts conducted within "his core constitutional powers" while in office.

Trump was able to reassert dominance among Republicans, though—partly because the Republicans sent to obstruct him, namely DeSantis, didn’t translate well to the national stage.

The deal collapsed in May 2023 when it emerged that the money-laundering probe would obstruct government approval of the merger.

Regarding the threat of jail, Mr Watson said, reflecting on one of the proposed measures listed by the government: "It's threatening to send them to prison if they obstruct an investigation into lawbreaking, so that’s pretty random. I don't think anyone will be going to prison."