Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faced a significant legal hurdle on Wednesday when Judge Catherine Mauzy dismissed his attempt to sidestep a trial in the whistleblower lawsuit against him.
Retaliation Claims Surface
Paxton, a member of the Republican party, is accused of retaliating against two former assistants who claim they were terminated for reporting him to the FBI over alleged bribery and other misconduct.
Legal Wastage?
Despite denying any improper conduct, Paxton consented this month to accept the case’s judgment, labeling the legal actions as an “unjustifiable waste of taxpayer resources and an intolerable distraction that risks compromising critical state business” in a statement dated January 18.
The Unnecessary Trial Debate
Judge Mauzy, on Wednesday, overruled his lawyers’ claims that a trial was unnecessary, as reported by The Texas Tribune. Paxton’s legal team, during a hearing, argued that a trial was unnecessary since he had already agreed to abide by any judgment in the case.
Courtroom Confrontation
“I’m here to tell you my client concedes to the entry of judgment today, and my client waives any right to appeal that judgment,” his lawyer declared, according to the news source.
“So what in the world would a trial do? What is the legitimate reason for pursuing this lawsuit and not taking the judgment? I would submit there is no legitimate reason.”
Fear of Oath
TJ Turner, representing the whistleblowers, criticized these maneuvers as the “latest parlor trick in Office of the Attorney General’s quiver so that they avoid what the A.G. fears the most, and that’s testifying under oath.”
Supreme Court Decision
This roadblock for Paxton occurred just a day after the Texas Supreme Court, with its Republican majority delaying his mandated testimony, a move that came after former President Donald Trump’s plea on Truth Social to halt the case.
Impeachment Outcome
In the Texas House of Representatives, Paxton was impeached last May following the whistleblower claims, with the GOP-dominated house voting 121-23 in favor of impeachment.
Despite this, the state Senate acquitted him of all 16 impeachment articles, with only two Republicans breaking ranks to vote against him.
First Time in Jury Trial
Having not testified in his impeachment trial, a jury trial would mark Paxton’s first time responding to these allegations under oath.
Settlement Attempts
In a recent statement, Paxton revealed that last year, he and the whistleblowers had reached an agreement to settle the case, but it fell through after his acquittal in the state Senate.
Sabotage or Justice?
“It has become increasingly clear their objective is not to resolve an employment lawsuit but to sabotage my leadership and this agency, ultimately aiming to undermine Texas as the nation’s leader against the federal government’s unlawful policies,” he expressed.
Legislative Concerns
Paxton added, “Whether a verdict will be funded in whole, in part, or not at all would be determined entirely by the Legislature, which has expressed its own negative opinion about the strength of the plaintiffs’ case by explicitly refusing to use taxpayer dollars to fund the plaintiffs’ disproven claims.”
Ending ‘wasteful litigation’
Paxton further elaborated that in light of these considerations, his office took decisive action to conclude this ‘wasteful litigation’ by filing an amended answer, aligning with the initial decision to settle the case.
This move enables the trial court to render a final judgment without further legal proceedings.
‘Era-defining immigration lawsuits’
Through this step, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has terminated the plaintiffs’ prolonged political maneuver and redirected its full capacity and resources towards critical legal matters, including ‘era-defining immigration lawsuits’ against the Biden Administration.
Destroying Border Barriers?
“At a time when President Biden is attempting to confiscate Texas state parks and destroy border barriers to ensure a continuous flow of illegal immigration—issues the OAG is currently litigating—I will not allow our focus to waver from defending the rights of the people of Texas and leading the nation’s many fights against unconstitutional federal overreach,” Paxton asserted.
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