Austin real estate developer at center of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment now in federal custody

Paul was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on a federal warrant, according to the Tribune. However, it’s unclear whether the arrest of the developer is related to the allegations against Paxton.

Paxton was suspended from official duties last week after the Texas House, in a bipartisan vote, agreed 121-23 to move forward with impeachment proceedings. An impeachment trial will take place later this summer in the Texas Senate, where a two-thirds majority is needed to ratify the impeachment.

The impeachment arguments against Paxton stem from what critics call an improper business relationship between Paxton and Paul.

In the fall of 2018, Paul made a $25,000 political donation to Paxton. Following the donation, Paxton made a point to help Paul’s business interests by investigating the businessman’s adversaries and helping settle a lawsuit, senior aides that formerly worked for Paxton alleged, according to the Tribune.

After agents from the FBI and U.S. Department of Treasury raided Paul’s home and businesses in 2019, Paxton also helped Paul gain access to federal documents, House members alleged during the May impeachment hearing.

What’s more, Paul hired Paxton’s reported mistress for an office job in Austin so that the woman in question, Laura Olson, wouldn’t have to commute from San Antonio, according to claims discussed during the hearing. Olson was also romantically linked to former San Antonio Councilman Clayton Perry by a recent media report.

Paul is set to appear in federal court in Austin at 11 a.m. Friday, according to a tweet by Texas Tribune political correspondent Patrick Svitek.

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This article appears in May 31 – Jun 13, 2023.