Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Avoids Trial, Settles Fraud Charges

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) reached an agreement with prosecutors on Tuesday to forgo facing trial for criminal securities fraud charges.

For Context: Paxton was indicted by state prosecutors in 2015 over securities fraud charges. Prosecutors alleged that Paxton tricked people into investing in a tech startup prior to becoming Attorney General.

Details: Prosecutors agreed to drop three felony counts against Paxton. In return, Paxton must pay $300,000 in restitution to victims, complete 100 hours of community service, and attend 15 hours of legal ethics education. Paxton was set to stand trial in less than a month and potentially faced prison time.

Key Quotes: Paxton released a statement following the announcement, reading, “There will never be a conviction in this case nor am I guilty.” Paxton’s lawyer Dan Cogdell stated, “This case has been pending literally longer than the Beatles were together, it was time to move on.” Houston attorney Brian Wice, the special prosecutor on the case, stated, “Our primary duty is to do justice, not to convict. So, the question isn’t whether or not who won, but was justice served? And I think the answer to that is unmistakably yes.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum described the settlement as a legal and political victory for Paxton, who survived an impeachment vote last May. Reuters (Center bias) characterized Paxton as a “conservative firebrand who has been dogged by corruption allegations since taking office in 2014.”