Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer
What could you do with $3.3 million? In Texas the median house selling price is $350,000. The state funding for each student in public schools is $5,100. I think $3.3 million is a lot of money. Ken Paxton apparently doesn’t since it isn’t his money – it’s ours.
Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General. In 2015 federal law enforcement officials charge him with securities fraud. If convicted, he could be in prison for the rest of his life.
If I were him, I would have avoided even the appearance of illegality. Why invite more scrutiny before settling the federal charges?
Paxton, however, didn’t avoid trouble. In fact Paxton just agreed to pay $3.3 million to settle another fraud case. The second case opened in October 2020. Four attorneys working in the Texas AG office blew the whistle on him, accusing him of bribery and abuse of office.
Paxton responded by firing them, but the complaint encourage the FBI to open a second federal investigation. Anyone working in a government office knows an employer can’t fire a whistleblower.
Shocking no one, the whistleblower sued Paxton for wrongful termination. They did what we want our fellow citizens to do. The whistleblowers reported credible crimes committed by government employees. Paxton intentionally broke whistleblower protection laws.
The Texas Tribune report last week that Paxton has just agreed to pay the whistleblower $3.3 million. Paxton wants the illegal termination case to go away. Paxton wants you and me to pay for the case to go away.
Paxton has no authority spend $3.3 million dollars. He needs legislative approval. Paxton needs Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to put the settlement before the Senate. Paxton needs Texas Greg Abbott to sign the funding bill and write the check.
Paxton is a walking example of waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. One paragraph in the Texas Tribune shows the depth of the crimes.
“Filings in the whistleblower suit revealed more details about the crimes the former employees alleged Paxton committed, including doing political favors for real estate developer Nate Paul, a friend and political donor who gave Paxton $25,000 for his 2018 campaign. The allegations said Paul helped Paxton with a home remodel and by hiring Paxton’s alleged girlfriend. Paxton is married to state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney.”
What could you do with $3.3 million? What will the Republics in Austin do with our $3.3 million? Will Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Ken Paxton use it for schools and roads? Will they use it to cover up multiple crimes? What do you want your State Senator and Representative to do?