After nearly nine years since being indicted for felony securities fraud, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reached a deal with prosecutors to avoid a criminal trial. The agreement requires Paxton to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution, take legal ethics classes, and complete 100 hours of community service. The deal does not involve an admission of guilt, and the judge in the case emphasized that it was made between the parties, with the court having no say in the agreement.
For Paxton, a three-term Republican incumbent, the agreement marked a victory against opponents who hoped his legal troubles would lead to his downfall. Last year, he survived an impeachment by Texas House Republicans over separate corruption allegations. Paxton’s lawyer reiterated that the deal did not involve a plea bargain and did not imply any admission of wrongdoing on Paxton’s part. The attorney general expressed relief to put the securities fraud case behind him.
The charges against Paxton stemmed from actions taken when he was a Texas House member, accused of misleading investors into investing in a technology company without disclosing that he was earning a commission on their investments. The case had been delayed and transferred between Texas counties but was ultimately set for a trial in Houston, away from his political stronghold in Collin County. Some of the accusations had surfaced during his initial attorney general campaign in 2014, but he was indicted several months after taking office.
The deal brought an end to a long legal saga, with the case facing delays and legal battles over venue and prosecutors’ pay. One of the special prosecutors involved in the case viewed the agreement as fair and just for both sides, emphasizing their commitment to seeking justice. Supporters of Paxton, including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, praised the deal and compared it to the impeachment trial Paxton survived in the Texas Senate, describing both proceedings as politically motivated attacks.
Paxton’s lawyer suggested that the impeachment and securities fraud charges against Paxton were politically driven, with the attorney general possibly being acquitted if the case went to a jury trial. However, Paxton opted to accept the deal due to the uncertainty surrounding a trial. Paxton has 18 months to fulfill the terms of the agreement, and failure to do so could result in the resumption of the criminal case. Judge Beall warned that any resumption would lead to a quick trial without further delays.
