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Report: Top aides accuse Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of bribery, misuse of office

Already facing felony securities fraud charges, Paxton is now facing new allegations of improper influence and bribery.

AUSTIN — Several of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s top aides are accusing him of improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and more, The Austin-American Statesman and KVUE-TV reported late Saturday.

Seven of the agency’s most senior employees sent the human resources director a letter stating they have “a good faith belief that the attorney general is violating federal and/or state law including prohibitions related to improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses" and that they asked federal law enforcement to investigate, according to The Statesman and KVUE-TV report.

The aides did not specify which laws they believe Paxton broke.

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The letter, sent Thursday, was signed by the deputy and deputy attorneys general overseeing divisions that include criminal investigations, civil litigation, administration and policy as well as then-First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer, the top lawyer under Paxton.

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Mateer resigned from the agency Friday.

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Paxton’s office responded by saying the complaints were made to “impede an ongoing investigation into criminal wrongdoing by public officials including employees of this office. Making false claims is a very serious matter and we plan to investigate this to the fullest extent of the law,” The Statesman and KVUE-TV report added.

The new allegations add to Paxton’s legal woes.

Months after being sworn in as attorney general in 2015, the McKinney Republican was charged with two first-degree felony counts of securities fraud and one third-degree felony count of failing to register as an investment advisor. The most serious charges stem from allegations Paxton benefitted from duping people to invest in a North Texas technology company.

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The pre-trial proceedings have been repeatedly delayed, however, and Paxton has yet to stand trial. Five years later, he remains under active indictment. Paxton, a Republican, pleaded not guilty and said the allegations were brought by a political adversary within his own party.

It is unclear whether the accusations top aides made this week are in any way related to the allegations in his indictment. Prosecutors pursuing the state charges against Paxton declined to comment on the new allegations late Saturday. Paxton’s attorneys in that case did not immediately respond to questions.

In addition to his currently active indictment, Paxton was also investigated in 2017 under bribery and corrupt-influence laws for accepting a six-figure gift from a CEO whose company was under investigation by his agency. Investigators cleared Paxton and closed the investigation in October 2017. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission twice charged Paxton with civil securities fraud stemming from the same allegations he faces in state court, but a federal judge threw out the case out both times.

Before being elected attorney general, Paxton served in the state Senate and House representing Collin County. Paxton was re-elected in 2018, the same year he helped his wife, Angela, win his old seat in the Texas Senate.