The FBI can officially stand down. The accidental deal-maker behind the head-scratching offer that would have sent the presumptive “Hottest Girl in America” to intern for Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) has accepted full responsibility for the headline-making gaffe.

For those who missed the fireworks Wednesday, Pryor’s office rocketed to DEFCON 1 after discovering that Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis had secured the equivalent of a “send your favorite sex kitten to Congress” pass by purchasing a purported four-week summer internship in Pryor’s office from an online charity auction.

Pryor’s folks swore they don’t sell access. Francis cried discrimination. And national media lapped up every contradictory statement.

California businessman Chad Brownstein, who shelled out $2,000 to Pryor’s campaign in 2002 and reportedly escorted the Arkansas Democrat around the Wilshire Boulevard Temple (the anticipated beneficiary of the ill-fated auction) in 2008, today fell on his sword in a letter to Pryor:

“I told the person asking me that, pending approval of your office, I thought it might be possible to auction off an unpaid month-long summer internship for a high school student with your office. (I knew you had been at Wilshire Boulevard Temple and were impressed with the work it had been doing in the community.),” Brownstein wrote.

“I didn’t realize that the item would be posted before I had a chance to check with your office. Nor did I realize that it would be posted without the caveat that the person would have to be approved. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication.”

“I am glad the responsible party has come forward to clear up the matter. I had already referred the case to the FBI, and it is now up to them to determine whether a crime has been committed,” Pryor relayed in a “told-you-so” release.

Proper authorities/lawyers: sounds like it’s your turn to go wild.