Just weeks before his scheduled trial, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who vehemently denies the allegations, received some surprising news. Prosecutors have decided to drop the charges against him in the nine-year-old securities fraud case. However, this comes with certain conditions that Paxton must adhere to.
Paxton, the state’s top lawyer, will be required to fulfill several obligations as outlined in a pretrial agreement reviewed by ABC News. These obligations include completing community service, participating in legal ethics courses, and making a restitution payment of almost $300,000.
In 2015, just after Paxton assumed office, he faced charges of defrauding investors. Allegedly, he had encouraged them to invest in a tech startup without disclosing that he was receiving payment to promote it.
Paxton maintains his innocence and has consistently denied any involvement in any unlawful activities.
“I want to make it clear that I am not guilty, and there will never be a conviction in this case,” he stated in a statement shared on X’s platform on Tuesday afternoon.
Paxton is not required to enter a plea under the pretrial agreement. Prosecutors have not provided any additional comments at this time.
If Paxton had been found guilty of fraud, he could have potentially faced many years in prison.
The trial has faced multiple delays due to various factors, such as venue changes and payment issues for the prosecutors.
Paxton recently attempted to have the charges against him dismissed due to the extended duration of the trial. However, the state attributed much of the delay to Paxton himself, and a judge ultimately dismissed his claim that his right to a speedy trial had been violated.
Ken Paxton, a Republican who made headlines and assumed the role of attorney general in 2015, has encountered various challenges during his tenure. Despite winning his most recent election by a significant margin, he has had to confront numerous other issues while serving in office.
Last year, he was acquitted by the state Senate on 16 articles of impeachment. This came after a majority of the state House, including numerous Republicans, supported the articles against him.
The FBI initiated an investigation into Paxton in Texas back in 2020, following allegations of abuse of office and misconduct made by a group of whistleblowing former employees. This federal investigation has been ongoing since then.
The Department of Justice has stated that its Public Integrity Section will be taking over the case, which originally started as a state-led investigation against Paxton. So far, no charges have been filed against him in connection to this probe.
According to Paxton, he did not engage in any wrongdoing.
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