Top Aides Accuse AG Paxton of Bribery, Abuse of Office

[Elderberry]

Texas Scorecard by Brandon Waltens October 3, 2020

Seven of Paxton’s top aides say they have reported his alleged violations “to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”

Seven top aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are accusing him of engaging in bribery and abusing his office, according to a letter released to the media on Saturday.

“We have a good faith belief that the attorney general is violating federal and/or state law including prohibitions related to improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses,” the aides wrote in a brief letter to the AG office’s director of human resources, dated October 1. The letter does not delve into specific accusations.

The employees also claim they have provided statements regarding Paxton’s alleged crimes “to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”

Topping the list of names signing onto the accusation is Jeff Mateer, who resigned abruptly as the First Assistant Attorney General on Friday after the letter was sent.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/state/top-aides-accuse-a-g-paxton-of-bribery-abuse-of-office/

[Idiot]

Texas Scorecard by Brandon Waltens October 3, 2020

Seven of Paxton’s top aides say they have reported his alleged violations “to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”

Seven top aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are accusing him of engaging in bribery and abusing his office, according to a letter released to the media on Saturday.

“We have a good faith belief that the attorney general is violating federal and/or state law including prohibitions related to improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses,” the aides wrote in a brief letter to the AG office’s director of human resources, dated October 1. The letter does not delve into specific accusations.

The employees also claim they have provided statements regarding Paxton’s alleged crimes “to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”

Topping the list of names signing onto the accusation is Jeff Mateer, who resigned abruptly as the First Assistant Attorney General on Friday after the letter was sent.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/state/top-aides-accuse-a-g-paxton-of-bribery-abuse-of-office/

Paxton's camp says something totally different.

[Elderberry]

Austin investor Nate Paul at center of allegations against Texas AG Ken Paxton

Houston Chronicle by  Jay Root , Taylor Goldenstein and Eric Dexheimer 10/4/2020

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Austin-investor-Nate-Paul-at-center-of-15620657.php

The top state officials who staged a mutiny against Attorney General Ken Paxton warned that he was using his office to benefit campaign donor Nate Paul, an embattled Austin real estate investor.

Paul, a once high-flying businessman whose offices were reportedly raided by the FBI last year, gave Paxton $25,000 ahead of the attorney general’s hard-fought re-election battle in 2018.

The No. 2 official in the attorney general’s office, First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer, put Paul at the center of allegedly illegal activities by Paxton in a text message sent Thursday. Mateer, who resigned Friday, joined six other high-ranking employees in accusing Paxton, the state’s top law enforcement officer, of abuse of office, bribery and improper influence.

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Paxton said in a statement Sunday: “The Texas attorney general’s office was referred a case from Travis County regarding allegations of crimes relating to the FBI, other government agencies and individuals. My obligation as attorney general is to conduct an investigation upon such referral. Because employees from my office impeded the investigation and because I knew Nate Paul, I ultimately decided to hire an outside independent prosecutor to make his own independent determination. Despite the effort by rogue employees and their false allegations, the AG’s office will continue to seek justice in Texas.”

The uprising against Paxton crystallized when a special prosecutor he appointed, Houston lawyer Brandon Cammack, issued grand jury subpoenas last week targeting “adversaries” of Paul, a senior AG official told Hearst Newspapers.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

Texas Rep. Chip Roy calls for AG Ken Paxton to resign amid bribery, corruption accusations

Houston Chronicle by  Taylor Goldenstein Oct. 5, 2020

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texas-Rep-Chip-Roy-calls-for-AG-Ken-Paxton-to-15622100.php

Days after seven of Attorney General Ken Paxton's top aides accused him of bribery and corruption, the state’s top law enforcement officer says he will not be resigning.

“Despite the effort by rogue employees and their false allegations, I will continue to seek justice in Texas,” Paxton had said in a statement to Hearst Newspapers on Sunday night.

On Monday, he slightly tweaked that statement and released it publicly with the words, “and I will not be resigning” tacked on to the end.

It came after news broke over the weekend that the senior staff members reported Paxton to law enforcement authorities, accusing him of using his office to benefit one of his campaign donors, Nate Paul, a high-profile Austin real estate investor. Paul had given Paxton a $25,000 donation for his 2018 re-election campaign.

More at link.