Texas State Bar Ends Disciplinary Efforts Against AG Ken Paxton Over Election Claims
TL/DR –
The State Bar of Texas has decided to stop its efforts to punish Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton over allegations that he committed professional misconduct when he attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. This decision, unveiled in court documents, concludes a multi-year probe into potential sanctions against Paxton for making allegedly false fraud claims when he filed a lawsuit disputing Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump. This move comes after the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Paxton’s top deputy could not be sanctioned for similar allegations.
AUSTIN, Texas
The State Bar of Texas has dropped its disciplinary process against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was accused of professional misconduct over his unsuccessful efforts to invalidate the 2020 presidential election results.
Key Highlights
- Disciplinary proceedings against Ken Paxton, Texas’ Republican Attorney General, related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, have been halted by the State Bar of Texas
- The decision, disclosed in recent court documents, puts an end to years of potential disciplinary measures against Paxton, accused of making fraudulent claims when he questioned Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in a lawsuit.
- Paxton was accused by the disciplinary commission of presenting fraudulent claims to the U.S. Supreme Court in his lawsuit disputing the election results
- The complaint alleged Paxton “misrepresented” facts in the lawsuit aimed at overturning Biden’s election victory
The decision comes after a similar ruling last month by the Texas Supreme Court, stating that Paxton’s top deputy could not be sanctioned over similar allegations. The state bar cited this ruling when deciding to drop the lawsuit against Paxton.
The State Bar of Texas refrained from commenting, and a response from the attorney general’s spokesperson is yet to be received. Paxton has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as unfounded and politically driven.
A lawsuit was filed against Paxton by the bar association in 2022, accusing him of misrepresenting facts to the Supreme Court in an attempt to reverse Biden’s victory. The high court later discarded the lawsuit.
The potential penalties from the state bar disciplinary group can range from a written warning to a suspension or disbarment.
These potential sanctions were among several legal issues that Paxton faced. Last year, Paxton resolved criminal securities fraud allegations and was acquitted by the Texas Senate on corruption charges in a 2023 impeachment trial.
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