Paxton Fails to Dismiss Almost 10-Year-Old Securities Fraud Charges

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday lost his bid to toss out near-decade old securities fraud indictments against him — with a felony fraud trial set to begin in two months.

Kera News reported that during a court hearing in Houston, Judge Andrea Beall rejected Paxton’s arguments that his right to a speedy trial had been violated.

Barring an unexpected delay, Paxton’s trials will kick off on April 15, the news outlet reported — noting Paxton has been under active indictment for nearly nine years.

Paxton sat quietly through the hearing, the report stated.

The indictments accuse Paxton of defrauding investors in a Dallas-area tech startup by not disclosing he was being paid by the company, called Servergy, to recruit them. They were handed up just months after Paxton was sworn in as Texas’ top law enforcement officer.

A multitude of reasons have delayed the trial, including legal debate over whether the case should be tried in the Dallas area or Houston, changes in which judge would handle the case and a protracted battle over how much the special prosecutors should get paid.

If convicted of the securities fraud charges, Paxton faces up to 99 years in prison.

The indictments were repeatedly delayed as the sides fought over how much the prosecutors should be paid, what judge should preside and where the trial should be held.

Paxton, nevertheless, has has become one of the most recognizable state attorneys general in the country known for fighting against abortion access and LGBTQ rights and for tougher border security and immigration policies, the outlet reported.

He’s also been dogged by an impeachment effort last year for allegedly swapping political favors with a campaign donor. He beat those charges after a state Senate trial last year.

Paxton’s Office of the Attorney General, however, still faces a whistleblower lawsuit brought by the individuals whose allegations prompted his impeachment, the outlet reported.

He is also being sued by a State Bar of Texas disciplinary panel about his role challenging the 2020 presidential election results, the outlet reported.

 

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