Securities fraud charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 2015
In 2015, Ken Paxton, the Republican attorney general of Texas, was indicted on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and a lesser charge of failing to register with state securities regulators. Paxton, who said the charges against him were politically motivated, appealed the charges.
Charges were brought against Paxton in state court and in federal court.
The federal charges, brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, were dismissed by a federal judge in March 2017 after having been conditionally dismissed in October 2016.[1][2][3]
State indictment
A grand jury indicted Ken Paxton for felony securities fraud on July 31, 2015. Paxton was indicted on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and a lesser charge of failing to register with state securities regulators. Included in the indictment was an allegation that Paxton misled investors regarding Servergy Inc., which was under federal investigation in a separate case.[4][5][6] Paxton was arrested after he turned himself in on August 3, 2015, at the Collin County jail. He was booked and released. Paxton's attorney told reporters that he would be abiding by the judge's instructions not to comment publicly on the case.[7]
Prosecutors re-indict Paxton to clarify charges
On August 18, 2015, Paxton was re-indicted on the securities fraud charges. The original indictments accused Paxton of engaging in fraud “in connection with the offer for sale" and with the sale of $100,000 or more worth of Servergy stock to two investors. The indictment also stated that Paxton failed to disclose that he had not personally invested in the company and had been compensated with 100,000 shares.[8][9]
The claims made in the re-indictments were the same accusations, but with the clarification that Paxton “unlawfully and intentionally” offered to sell $100,000 or more in shares to the investors.[10][11] The re-indictments also said that Paxton directly and indirectly engaged in fraud by intentionally failing to disclose to the investors that he would be compensated 100,000 shares for making the sales and that he “had not, and was not” investing his own funds in Servergy.[10][11]
The former Servergy CEO gave two different accounts of Paxton's involvement. In April 2014, testifying before the SEC, then-CEO Bill Mapp said that Paxton was paid by Servergy for consulting and recruiting investors. In July 2015, Mapp told the Texas Rangers that Paxton was offered a commission but that he turned it down.[12]
Court appearances and filings
First court appearance
At his first court appearance on the three securities fraud charges on August 27, 2015, Paxton formally pleaded not guilty. After Paxton entered his plea, District Judge George Gallagher granted a motion made by Paxton's attorney, Joe Kendall, to withdraw from the case. Paxton was given until September 3, 2015, to hire a new attorney.[13] On September 3, 2015, Gallagher granted Paxton an additional week to find new legal representation.[14] A day before his extension ran out, Paxton announced he had hired Houston criminal defense attorney Dan Cogdell to serve as lead counsel and former Dallas County First Assistant District Attorney Terri Moore. Earlier in his career, Cogdell successfully defended clients in the Enron and Branch Davidian cases.[15]
The legal teams
On September 24, 2015, Paxton added three more attorneys to his legal team: Philip Hilder, Heather Barbieri and Bill Mateja. Hilder, who was hired to serve as co-lead counsel with Cogdell, served as special counsel with the U.S. Department of Justice's Organized Crime Strike Force, was assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Texas and has co-chaired the American Bar Association's National Institute on Securities Fraud. Barbieri, who was hired to counsel Paxton on local matters in Collin County, was Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2015, an award given by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Mateja worked closely with President George W. Bush's Corporate Fraud Task Force. Houston defense attorneys Kent Schaffer, Brian Wice and Nicole DeBorde were appointed as special prosecutors.[16]
No taxpayer money was used to fund Paxton's defense, and Paxton was prohibited from using campaign funds for his legal defense because the allegations against him do not stem from his officeholder duties. Financial disclosures made by Paxton in July 2016 show that Paxton raised close to $330,000 from donors and friends to fund his legal defense.[17]
Defense team subpoenas grand jury information
On October 1, 2015, Paxton's legal counsel filed subpoenas for a complete transcript and audio recordings related to the selection of the grand jurors who indicted Paxton. Supporters of Paxton said that the indictments were politically motivated, and his legal team was investigating this possibility. Paxton's lawyers also requested the transcript and audio recordings of the selection process for the two grand juries that sat in the first half of 2015. Additionally, his lawyers sought records related to "personnel action involving a deputy clerk."[18] This request was connected to District Judge Chris Oldner, who oversaw the grand jury that indicted Paxton and then recused himself without explanation.[18] On October 6, 2015, special prosecutors responded by filing a motion to quash the subpoenas.[19]
Judge Gallagher scheduled a hearing for October 16, 2015, to decide whether to quash or enforce the subpoenas seeking information on the grand jury, but he canceled it late on October 15, 2015, after resolving the issue by conference call.[20][21][22] On October 16, 2015, Judge Gallagher granted Paxton’s defense team’s request to view records detailing the selection process and operation of several grand juries, including the one that indicted Paxton on securities fraud charges. Defense attorneys were preparing to file motions to dismiss the indictments and sought to examine these records for irregularities. Motions were due on October 30, 2015. Prosecutors had opposed the release of these records, believing that they would not reveal any useful information.[23]
Paxton limits some professional duties while fighting charges
On October 21, 2015, Cynthia Meyer, a Paxton spokeswoman, announced that the attorney general was recusing himself from some of his professional duties while facing the securities fraud charges. According to Meyer, Paxton removed himself from "active participation in matters in which a conflict may exist", specifically matters relating to the Texas State Securities Board and the Texas Ethics Commission. Meyer called this a common procedure.[24] Paxton has long maintained that he would not let the charges distract or deter him from serving the people of Texas as attorney general.[25]
Paxton's defense team pushes to dismiss securities fraud charges
Paxton's legal team announced on November 2, 2015, that it had filed six motions to quash the three securities fraud indictments. Paxton's defense attorneys argued that the indictments should be thrown out because Judge Chris Oldner, who formed the grand jury that indicted Paxton before recusing himself from the case, allegedly compromised the integrity of the indictment process and violated grand jury secrecy rules.[26] Further, Paxton's team argued in their motions that prosecution of the indictment for failing to properly register with the Texas State Securities Board began after the statute of limitations had expired, and that the prosecution was improperly brought because the State Securities Board did not refer the matter for prosecution.[27] Paxton's attorneys also filed four pretrial applications for writ of habeas corpus to raise constitutional issues that could bar prosecution or conviction.[28] Prosecutor Brian Wice dismissed the allegations contained in the court filings, describing them as "baseless".[27]
On November 5, 2015, prosecutors filed a response to Paxton's motion to quash that argued that Judge Oldner compromised the integrity of the indictment process. In their response, prosecutors criticized Paxton for questioning "a well-respected, veteran jurist", and called the motion "not only desperate, but utterly without merit." Prosecutors argued that Oldner acted in good faith during the indictment process and challenged the factual assertions made by Paxton's defense team in the motion to quash.[29]
On December 1, 2015, Paxton appeared in court for the first time since he pleaded not guilty to securities fraud charges in August 2015.[30] During the pre-trial hearing, Paxton's defense team sought to have the charges against the attorney general dismissed for a number of reasons, including claims that Judge Chris Oldner, the original judge on the case, improperly formed the grand jury that indicted Paxton and acted inappropriately during grand jury proceedings; that the State Securities Board did not refer the matter for prosecution; and that the failure to register charge was filed after the statute of limitations had expired.[31] Prosecutors filed motions seeking to amend the indictments against Paxton late on November 30, 2015, but Judge Gallagher did not address these motions during the December 1 hearing.[30] The judge also declined to issue rulings on the defense team’s requests to dismiss three felony charges, saying he would issue written orders.[32]
In July 2016, a state appeals court denied Paxton's motion to reconsider a previous ruling that upheld criminal charges against him.[33] On August 2, 2016, Paxton filed an appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's court of last resort for criminal matters. Paxton's legal team argued in the appeal that the charges should be dismissed because the grand jury that indicted him was not properly impaneled.[34][35] The court refused to take up the case on October 12, 2016. The appeal delayed any potential trial until at least 2017.[36]
Ethics question surrounding monetary gifts to Paxton's legal defense fund
On July 1, 2016, Paxton filed a report with the Texas Ethics Commission documenting more than $329,000 in monetary gifts intended to help pay for his legal defense, including a $100,000 donation made by James Webb, the C.E.O. of Preferred Imaging LLC. Later that month, Preferred Imaging settled a federal whistle-blower investigation that was co-handled by the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division in Paxton's office, agreeing to pay about $3.5 million in fines without admitting wrongdoing.[37] Following the announcement, ethics experts in the state weighed in on Webb's contribution to Paxton's legal defense.
According to state law, a public servant may not accept gifts from a person who is "subject to regulation, inspection, or investigation by the public servant or his agency." Id. § 36.08(a).[38] However, a separate law permits officials to accept "a gift or other benefit conferred on account of kinship or a personal, professional, or business relationship independent of the official status of the recipient." In 2016, the State Ethics Commission had debated whether to amend the regulation to require independent approval of the gift, but the measure fell one vote short of passing.[39]
“The idea that you could accept a contribution to your so-called legal defense fund from someone that your office has under investigation is simply prohibited," said Texas ethics attorney Buck Wood.[40] Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice, however, said that Webb's gift to Paxton was not a "clear violation" given the vagueness of the law.[39] A spokesman for Paxton asserted that the attorney general had no personal involvement in the Preferred Imaging investigation.[40]
Delay and relocation
On March 9, 2017, the three prosecutors in the state's case appealed to the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas for a delay in Paxton's trial, which was scheduled at the time for May 1, due to unpaid wages. At the time, the prosecutors had not been paid for their work on the trial in 2016, which amounted to $205,000 in back pay. Among the reasons why the prosecutors had not been paid was a lawsuit filed by Collin County taxpayer Jeffory Blackard. In Texas, judges have the option of exempting prosecutors' fees from standard legal limits in special circumstances. Blackard's suit alleged that Judge Gallagher's decision to do so in this case was improper. A similar lawsuit filed by Blackard in 2016 attempting to halt payments to the prosecutors dating back to 2015 was unsuccessful. In addition to calling on the 5th Court of Appeals to delay the case, the prosecutors asked Judge Gallagher to move the trial out of Collin County, calling Blackard's lawsuit one example of a pattern of behavior they felt would jeopardize the case.[41] On March 30, Judge Gallagher granted a motion by prosecutors to move the trial out of Collin County, delaying it indefinitely until a new venue could be selected. Judge Gallagher also denied a motion by the prosecutors to delay the case until their payment was received and a motion by defense to dismiss the case due to prosecutorial misconduct.[42]
On April 12, 2017, the trials were moved to Harris County, with a trial on the lesser charge of failure to register with the Texas securities board scheduled to begin no earlier than September 12 and to end on September 22 at the latest. This trial would be followed by a separate trial on the two charges of securities fraud, which carry a greater potential penalty.[43][44] Following this announcement, Paxton called on Judge Gallagher to remove himself from the case, arguing that state law prohibits the same judge from presiding over a case which has changed venues without the defendant's consent. The Dallas Morning News quoted Texas Director of Court Administration David Slayton as saying that this case was "the first time that we've found where this issue has been raised" and noted that because of the wording of the statute Judge Gallagher himself would be the one asked to issue the ruling.[45] On April 17, Judge Gallagher announced that he would decline to issue a ruling, ensuring that he would stay on the case.[44]
On May 10, 2017, Paxton's legal team issued an appeal to Judge Mary Murphy of the First Administrative Judicial Region of Texas seeking Judge Gallagher's removal from the case. They argued that Gallagher's assignment to the case by Tarrant County Judge Chris Oldner, who had recused himself due to his ties to Paxton, had expired on December 31, 2016. The defense argued that the case should be returned to Tarrant County and tried by Oldner's successor, Judge Andrea Thompson.[46] On May 11, Judge Murphy responded by asserting that she did not have the power to move the case and that any decision on a change of venue must be made by trial and appellate courts.[47]
On May 15, 2017, an emergency request was filed by the defense to the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas, calling for the removal of Judge Gallagher from the case on the same grounds as the April 11 appeal - Paxton had not given his consent for the case to be moved but the judge to remain the same. The 5th Court issued a ruling on May 16 calling for the case to be ceased until a ruling on Judge Gallagher's standing could be made, granting both parties until May 23 to do so.[48]
The 5th Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Paxton on May 30, 2017, arguing that Judge Gallagher had lost his jurisdiction over the case when it was moved to Harris County. As part of the ruling, Judge Gallagher was ordered to put a halt to all plans he had made for continuing the trial, including the September 12 court date. Despite ruling that Judge Gallagher had lost jurisdiction over the case, the court stopped short of calling for his removal.[49] On June 2, 2017, the prosecution appealed the decision to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal court, arguing that the 5th Court of Appeals lacked the authority to issue a ruling on Judge Gallagher's oversight of the trial.[50] Despite the prosecution's appeal, Judge Gallagher ordered that the case be transferred to Harris County on June 9, 2017.[51] On June 13, 2017, Judge Robert Johnson was selected at random to preside over the case.[52] In a July 27 hearing, an agreement between Paxton's defense team and prosecutors led to the scheduling of a trial on one of the three charges, agreeing to an initial trial on December 11, 2017.[53] On October 4, 2017, Judge Johnson agreed to delay the trial further at the prosecutors' request, citing disruption caused by Hurricane Harvey and the unresolved dispute over the prosecutors' pay.[54]
Paxton's trial remained delayed through 2018 and 2019. In July 2019, Paxton's attorneys requested to move the case back to Collin County from Harris County.[55] On June 25, Judge Robert Johnson granted the request, ruling that the trial would take place in Collin County.[56]
On May 27, 2021, a three-judge panel of the Texas First District Court of Appeals affirmed Judge Johnson's order by a 2-1 vote, setting the stage for Paxton's trial to take place in Collin County.[57]
Prosecutor's pay
On May 18, 2017, the 5th Court of Appeals ordered the Collin County Commissioners Court to vote on whether to pay the $205,000 invoice from the three special prosecutors on the Paxton case for their work in 2016.[58] The Court voted 4-0 on May 22 to not pay the team of prosecutors and to instruct their attorney to prepare for further legal challenges.[59] On a June 29, 2017, hearing that was intended to set a trial date for Paxton, the issue of the prosecutors' pay was also raised, with the prosecutors calling for a halt to proceedings until the dispute over their pay was settled.[60] On August 21, 2017, the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals ruled against the prosecutors, finding that the invoice was invalid on the grounds that it would violate local law to pay the prosecutors their requested hourly rate.[61] On September 19, 2017, the prosecutors requested that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturn the August 21 ruling.[62] On September 25, 2017, the court agreed to a temporary stay on the lower court's ruling.[63]
Securities fraud allegations against Byron Cook
Among the investors Paxton was accused of misleading was State Rep. Byron Cook. Since the case against Paxton was opened, Cook himself became the target of two similar allegations. On November 21, 2016, Cook was sued by businessman Charles A. Loper, III. Loper alleged that Cook had approached him with an offer - a wealthy investor was interested in purchasing mineral rights to a tract of land in Oklahoma at above market value. Loper claimed Cook offered to split the profits from selling the land at the increased price if Loper put up the capital to purchase the land at market value. The lawsuit claimed that there was no wealthy investor and the land was worth far less than Cook had stated.[64] A second lawsuit, filed on May 20, 2017 by Executive Pastor Mike Buster of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Paxton's home parish, alleged a similar mineral rights scam in which Cook and his fellow managers misrepresented the true value of the land, causing Buster to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars.[65] As of May 31, 2017 neither case has been settled.
Case background
In May 2015, Paxton admitted to failing to properly register with the Texas State Securities Board as an investment advisor while soliciting clients on behalf of a friend's investment firm prior to his election as Texas attorney general. The solicitations were made in 2004, 2005 and 2012 on behalf of Mowery Capital Management. In return for soliciting three clients, Paxton received a portion of the asset management fees; at the time when he made the solicitations, Paxton was a member of the Texas House of Representatives.[66] He was ultimately fined $1,000 by the Texas State Securities Board.[67]
- Read the disciplinary order against Ken Paxton issued by the Texas State Securities Board on May 2, 2015, here.
Prosecutors in Collin County, Texas, said that the initial investigation into Paxton revealed a larger criminal matter that would need to be heard by a special grand jury.[67] On July 7, 2015, Special Prosecutor Kent Schaffer announced plans to seek a first-degree securities fraud indictment.[68] Schaffer declined to disclose the details of the case, although it was unrelated to Paxton's failure to register as an investment advisor. Details of the alleged securities fraud were uncovered during the original investigation, which stated that the fraud involved sums in excess of $100,000.[66][69] "The Rangers went out to investigate one thing, and they came back with information on something else," Schaffer told Dallas reporters. "It's turned into something different than when they started."[67]
Paxton, for his part, said that the case was politically motivated. His spokesman, Anthony Holm, issued a statement that the case was an attempt to ruin Paxton's career—especially in light of three previous agencies: prosecutors in Austin and Dallas along with the Texas State Securities Board—having declined to pursue a criminal case. “From the outset their intention appears to have been to try this case in the media, not the courtroom,” Holm told reporters.[66] Schaffer, however, said none of the three agencies referenced by Paxton's spokesperson had seen the evidence he planned to present to the grand jury and that he was specifically brought in from outside of Dallas to sidestep political motivations by local parties.[66][67]
The investigation into Paxton began when a Texas government watchdog nonprofit, Texans for Public Justice, filed a complaint against the attorney general following his reprimand by the Texas State Securities Board. Texans for Public Justice is the same organization that filed the complaint against former Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2013 that ultimately led to an indictment as well as an ongoing case for abusing his official capacity and coercing a public servant while in office.[66] The organization requested that the Travis County district attorney prosecute the state's top attorney for alleged criminal conduct that occurred prior to assuming office.[66][67] Paxton's spokesperson said the charges amounted to a clerical error that was resolved after he paid the previously-imposed $1,000 fine: “He’s not even been indicted and will fight these charges all the way...This is absurd. We are all innocent until proven guilty," Holm told reporters during a mid-July interview.[70]
The Travis County district attorney's office investigated Paxton but did not bring charges when it wrapped up the investigation in January 2015, saying the office lacked jurisdiction. The Travis County district attorney said Collin and Dallas counties were the appropriate venues.[71]
In early April 2015, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, Paxton's longtime friend and business partner, asked the Texas Rangers to investigate Paxton's violation of state securities law.[71] Later that month, Willis recused himself from the case because of his close ties to Paxton.[72] District Judge Scott Becker appointed longtime Houston defense attorneys Brian Wice and Kent Schaffer as special prosecutors to handle any criminal case involving Paxton and his admitted securities law violations. Wice has experience with high-profile cases. He has defended both Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and former Texas House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Schaffer, who has twice served as a special prosecutor, has defended former Houston Mayor Fred Hofheinz and former U.S. Congressman Craig Washington.[73] In late August 2015, Houston attorney Nicole DeBorde was added as a third special prosecutor in Paxton's case. DeBorde once worked in the Harris County district attorney's office and has nearly 20 years of experience.[74]
Federal probe into Servergy, Inc.
Following the announcement that Paxton was facing potential felony securities fraud charges in Texas, it became public that Paxton's name had also surfaced in connection to an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).[75] The SEC was investigating a Dallas-area technology company suspected of defrauding investors—a company of which Paxton had owned at least 10,000 shares. The Associated Press reviewed federal court records of the investigation, which began in 2013 following complaints by investors, and the records showed that Paxton's name was singled out as a search term. In addition, his former law firm email address was among the contacts in a long list of Servergy contacts that the SEC searched. The SEC declined to comment on the case or about Paxton's potential involvement.[75][76][77]
Federal judge dismisses SEC charges
Civil charges of securities fraud against Paxton, filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in April 2016 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, were dismissed by a federal judge in March 2017.[3]
The March 2017 permanent dismissal of the charges followed on from a conditional dismissal of the charges from October 2016.[1] Judge Amos Mazzant issued his conditional dismissal on Friday, October 7. He gave SEC prosecutors 14 days to amend their allegations.[78] On October 21, the SEC did file an amended complaint.[79]
The SEC, in its claim against Paxton, said that he misled five investors in Servergy Inc. by not disclosing to them that he received compensation from sales in the form of shares of company stock. Paxton told the SEC that the shares were meant as a gift from the company's founder rather than as compensation.[80]
In his 29-page ruling conditionally dismissing the SEC's charges, federal judge Amos Mazzant wrote, "This case is not about whether Paxton had a moral obligation to disclose his financial arrangement with Servergy to potential investors. This case is also not about whether Paxton had some general obligation to disclose his financial arrangement to his investor group. The only issue before the Court is to determine whether the facts as pleaded give rise to a plausible claim under federal securities laws."[1]
In Mazzant's final dismissal of the case, he wrote, "This case has not changed since the Court conditionally dismissed the Commission’s Original Complaint. The primary deficiency was, and remains, that Paxton had no plausible legal duty to disclose his compensation arrangement with investors."[3]
In the wake of the federal court's dismissal of the SEC charges, Paxton issued a statement saying, "I have maintained all along this whole saga is a political witch hunt. Today’s ruling to dismiss the charges with prejudice confirms that these charges were baseless when the SEC initially brought them and they were without merit when the SEC re-filed them. Someone needs to hold the SEC accountable for this travesty."[3]
See also
External links
- Texas Attorney General's office
- Texas State Securities Board
- Original indictments
- Re-indictment (Cook)
- Re-indictment (Hochberg)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dallas Morning News, "Federal judge dismisses civil fraud charges against Attorney General Ken Paxton," October 8, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Texas Tribune, "Judge again dismisses SEC case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton", March 2, 2017
- ↑ Tanya Eiserer, Jason Whitely, Jim Douglas and Marie Saavedra, WFAA, "Sources: Grand jury indicts Attorney General Ken Paxton," August 2, 2015
- ↑ Jon Herskovitz and Dan Whitcomb, Reuters, "Texas attorney general indicted by grand jury on fraud charges: reports," August 1, 2015
- ↑ AP, Fox 4 News, "Sources: Attorney General Ken Paxton indicted by Grand Jury," August 1, 2015
- ↑ Chuck Lindell, American-Statesman, "Ken Paxton arrested, booked; indictment released," August 3, 2015
- ↑ Jason Whitely, Tanya Eiserer and Monica Hernandez, WFAA 8, “Ken Paxton surrenders, felony indictments unsealed,” August 3, 2015
- ↑ Scribd.com, “Ken Paxton indictment,” accessed August 20, 2015
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Documentcloud.org, “Re-indictment of Cause #416-81914-2015,” August 18, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Documentcloud.org, “Re-indictment of Cause #416-81915-2015,” August 18, 2015
- ↑ Dianna Wray, Houston Press, "Another hiccup in the Ken Paxton case," September 18, 2015
- ↑ Morgan Smith, The Texas Tribune, WFAA 8, "Paxton pleads not guilty; has until Sept. 3 to hire lawyer," August 27, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, "Paxton gets extension on finding a lawyer," September 3, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, "Paxton enlists help of top Houston defense attorney, former Dallas ADA," September 10, 2015
- ↑ Valerie Wigglesworth, The Dallas Morning News,"Paxton adds 3 attorneys to defense team," September 24, 2015
- ↑ Houston Chronicle,"Family and friends help Texas AG Ken Paxton pay his legal bills," July 5, 2016
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Tanya Eiserer, WFAA, "Paxton attorneys seek information on grand jury selection," October 1, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, "Prosecutors move to quash Paxton subpoenas," October 7, 2015
- ↑ Anna M. Tinsley, Star-Telegram, "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Fort Worth hearing canceled," October 16, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, "Paxton case back in court next week," October 8, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, "Judge cancels Paxton subpoena hearing," October 15, 2015
- ↑ Chuck Lindell, American-Statesman, “Ken Paxton wins access to grand jury records in case against him,” October, 16, 2015
- ↑ Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune, "Fighting Charges, Paxton Recuses Self from Some Duties," October 21, 2015
- ↑ Matthew Watkins, The Texas Tribune, "Paxton to Supporters: "I Expect to Be Fully Vindicated"," August 4, 2015
- ↑ Tanya Eiserer, WFAA 8, "Paxton lawyers move to dismiss securities fraud charges," November 3, 2015
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Chuck Lindell, American-Statesman, "Ken Paxton lawyers push to dismiss criminal charges," November 3, 2015
- ↑ CBSDFW.com, "Texas AG Ken Paxton Files Six Motions To Quash Indictment," November 2, 2015
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Houston Chronicle, Prosecutors blast Paxton's attempts to quash indictments," November 5, 2015
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Tanya Eiserer, WFAA.com, “Motions filed to amend Paxton indictments,” November 30, 2015
- ↑ Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman, “Ken Paxton to push for dismissal of charges as lawyers spar,” November 30, 2015
- ↑ Chuck Lindell and Jazmine Ulloa, Austin American-Statesman, "Lawyers for Ken Paxton, prosecutors clash at hearing," December 1, 2015
- ↑ Austin American-Statesman, "Ken Paxton loses another round in criminal case," July 5, 2016
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Texas attorney general tries again to end his criminal case," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Lauren McGaughy, Dallas Morning News, "Texas AG Ken Paxton appeals fraud case again in final attempt to quash felony indictments," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Dallas News, "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton headed for felony fraud trial after high court refuses his last appeal," October 12, 2016
- ↑ The United States Attorney's Office - Northern District of Texas, "Prefered Imaging, LLC to Pay $3,510,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations," July 22, 2016
- ↑ Texas Ethics Commission, "A Guide to Ethics Laws for State Officers and Employees," accessed July 28, 2016
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Ethics experts torn over Attorney General Ken Paxton acceptance of $100,000 donation for legal fees," July 27, 2016
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 The Washington Post, "Texas attorney general took gift while investigating company," July 26, 2016
- ↑ Dallas News, "Prosecutors ask to delay Texas AG Ken Paxton's trial until they are paid," March 9, 2017
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Judge orders Ken Paxton trial moved out of Collin County and delayed," March 30, 2017
- ↑ Dallas News, "Dates set for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's trials in Harris County," April 12, 2017
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 The Texas Tribune, "Despite Ken Paxton's request, judge to stay on in his case," April 17, 2017
- ↑ Dallas News, "Texas AG Ken Paxton asking judge to boot himself from case may be unprecedented," April 12, 2017
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Paxton lawyers say judge didn't have authority for 2017 rulings," May 10, 2017
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Paxton's latest attempt to switch judges met with resistance," May 11, 2017
- ↑ Dallas News, "Dallas court temporarily halts Attorney General Ken Paxton criminal case," May 16, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Texas appeals court: Ken Paxton judge must rescind recent orders," May 30, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Paxton prosecutors want high court to overturn judge removal," June 2, 2017
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "New Paxton case judge to be picked at random in Harris County," June 9, 2017
- ↑ U.S. News, "New Judge Named in Texas Attorney General's Criminal Case," June 13, 2017
- ↑ [https://www.texastribune.org/2017/07/27/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-criminal-trial-set-dec-11/ Texas Tribune, " Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's criminal trial set for Dec. 11," July 27, 2017]
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Judge delays Texas AG Ken Paxton's criminal trials as lawyers snipe at one another," October 5, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Ken Paxton’s criminal trial has been pending for nearly four years. Here’s a timeline of his legal drama," June 19, 2019
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will return to his native Collin County, judge rules," June 25, 2020
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's criminal case to be heard in Collin County, appeals court rules," May 27, 2021
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Court tells Collin County commissioners to vote on special prosecutors' pay," May 18, 2017
- ↑ Dallas News, "Collin County votes against paying Ken Paxton prosecutors, triggering court decision," May 22, 2017
- ↑ Click 2 Houston, "Attorney General Ken Paxton shows up in Houston court on security fraud charge," June 29, 2017
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Dallas court voids six-figure payment to Ken Paxton prosecutors," August 21, 2017
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Paxton prosecutors want Court of Criminal Appeals to help them get paid," September 19, 2017
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Appeals court ruling gives Texas AG Ken Paxton's prosecutors the chance to fight for back pay," September 26, 2017
- ↑ Texas Bureau Watchdog, "Texas Rep. Byron Cook sued over fraud claim," November 21, 2016
- ↑ Dallas News, "Attorney General Ken Paxton's pastor sues lead witnesses in criminal case," May 20, 2017
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 66.2 66.3 66.4 66.5 Manny Fernandez, The New York Times, "Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas May Face Securities-Fraud Indictment," July 2, 2015
- ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 67.3 67.4 Michael Marks, San Antonio Current, "Attorney General Ken Paxton Could Face Felony Charges," July 2, 2015
- ↑ Tanya Eiserer, WFAA 8, "Texas Rangers scrutinize Paxton case," July 7, 2015
- ↑ Tanya Eiserer, WFAA 8, "Attorney General Paxton could face first-degree felony case," July 1, 2015
- ↑ Dave Byknish, KXAN, "Spokesperson responds to Ken Paxton allegations," July 17, 2015
- ↑ 71.0 71.1 Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune, "Collin DA Asks Texas Rangers to Probe Paxton Case," April 9, 2015
- ↑ Robert T. Garrett, Dallas News, "Collin DA Willis recuses himself from Paxton securities-license probe," April 21, 2015
- ↑ Valerie Wigglesworth, Dallas News, "Two Houston attorneys appointed to Paxton case after Collin DA’s recusal," April 22, 2015
- ↑ Patrick Svitek, Dallas News, "Third Prosecutor Added to Ken Paxton Case," August 28, 2015
- ↑ 75.0 75.1 Paul J. Weber and Jim Vertuno, Associated Press, KXAN, "Texas AG Ken Paxton figures in federal securities probe," July 7, 2015
- ↑ Michael Barajas, The Houston Press, "Attorney General Ken Paxton Mentioned in SEC Probe," July 8, 2015
- ↑ Paul J. Weber and Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press, "APNewsBreak: Texas AG figures in federal securities probe," July 7, 2015
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "Judge Dismisses SEC Case Against Ken Paxton", October 7, 2016
- ↑ Courthouse News, "Texas AG Paxton Faces New SEC Fraud Suit", October 24, 2016
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "SEC Charges Ken Paxton With Securities Fraud," April 11, 2016