He sponsored bills that would have prevented school districts from getting sex-education material from Planned Parenthood, and that promised to protect religious freedom, endearing him to Christian conservatives. Much of the other legislation Paxton sponsored may have failed, Ratcliffe recounted, but he used those failures to build a loyal political following. Paxton’s signature achievement as a lawmaker was passing legislation that changed the signs welcoming travelers to Texas so that they included the words “Proud to be the home of President George W. In many respects, Ratcliffe argued, it was a return to the formula Paxton had used during his dozen years in the Texas Legislature.
Instead of avoiding reporters, Paxton began to seek out the spotlight. Only after he hired two crisis-management firms did his strategy-and political fortunes-begin to change. It was the low point of his tenure in terms of public support. Ratcliffe wrote that, following Paxton’s indictment, the attorney general virtually disappeared from the day-to-day operations of his office and made few media appearances. In a 2016 article in Texas Monthly, the reporter R. Instead, he’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a separate legal-defense fund.
Because the case involves his private law practice, he is forbidden from using state funds or even his campaign account for legal expenses. The attorney general has consistently maintained his innocence, arguing that the stock he received from the company was merely a gift, and that the prosecution is politically motivated. He faced similar civil charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission, although that case came to an end after being dismissed by a federal judge for the second time. Paxton faces three felony counts related to his persuading investors to buy stock in a technology company, Servergy, allegedly without disclosing that he was receiving a commission, as well as without registering as a securities dealer. He has successfully tied up the criminal complaint in court ever since, and he managed to win reelection in 2018, even as the indictment still hung over him. Paxton was sworn in as Texas’s attorney general in January 2015-and then indicted by a state grand jury for securities fraud that July. And losing this lawsuit-his highest-profile setback to date-might have been just what he needed as his own legal problems continue to mount.ĭavid A. The Texas politician has built his career on using such defeats to rally support. But even as he lost in court, Paxton had already won. The justices lost little time in turning away the suit on Friday night. Republican attorneys general in 17 other states, as well as 126 of the 196 House Republicans, filed briefs expressing support for Paxton’s suit. President Donald Trump quickly jumped on board. Constitution that makes the Supreme Court the arbiter in state conflicts. Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brilliantly cynical lawsuit seeking to overturn the presidential election in four swing states-Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Previously he worked as a journalist for many years, most recently as executive editor of The Monitor and senior editor of Texas Monthly. About the author: Carlos Sanchez is the head of public affairs for Hidalgo County.