Judge orders Ken Paxton to answer questions under oath in whistleblower suit

In a reminder that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal woes didn’t end with his impeachment trial, a judge has ordered him to sit for deposition in a whistleblower case against him, the Texas Tribune reports.

Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer on Wednesday granted the whistleblowers’ motion to force the depositions of Paxton and three other top aies from his office, according to the online news organization.

Four former aides sued Paxton in 2020, alleging he fired them as retaliation after they reported him to the FBI. The whistleblowers told federal authorities the attorney general had abused his office to help real-estate developer Nate Paul, a friend and major campaign donor.

“In this case, I believe the plaintiffs have shown good cause that these four people have unique and superior knowledge of discoverable information,” Soifer said in court Wednesday.

Bill Helfand, an attorney for Paxton’s office, declined comment as he left the courthouse, according to the Tribune.

The allegations around Paxton’s relationship with developer Paul were central to the impeachment case brought against him earlier this year. Even though the Texas House moved to impeach Paxton, the Senate — led by ally Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — ultimately declined to convict.

Paxton also faces a years-old felony state securities fraud case, and earlier this year, Justice Department officials in Washington, D.C., took over the federal corruption investigation into his dealings.

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This article appears in Dec 13-26, 2023.