The latest Attorney General's Office news from The Texas Tribune.
Two were fired and two placed on leave — moves employment attorneys say will likely spark a whistleblower lawsuit. A spokesperson for Paxton said the personnel changes were not related to the whistleblower allegations. Full Story
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Blake Brickman and Lacey Mase, two whistleblowers who accused their boss of crimes including bribery and abuse of office, were both fired Tuesday. Full Story
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The departure "was not voluntary," said Lacey Mase, one of several senior aides who said Attorney General Ken Paxton used his office to serve the interests of a donor. Full Story
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Ian Prior, a Republican operative who promoted the story for the Texas attorney general's campaign, denied that the campaign had paid the Southeast Texas Record to publish it. “Definitive no,” he said. Full Story
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Attorney General Ken Paxton said the multibillion-dollar company engaged in anti-competitive and exclusionary practices that eliminate competition for internet searches and search advertising. Full Story
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Outside attorney Brandon Cammack said he'd never met Paxton before he was asked to apply for the position, but he “rose to the occasion” in accepting a major assignment. Full Story
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Aides in the attorney general’s office have said their boss used the power of the agency to serve the financial interests of Nate Paul, an Austin investor and donor. Paul’s attorney said his client has been the victim of agency “dysfunction.” Full Story
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The young lawyer has five years of experience and apparent ties to an attorney for Nate Paul, a political donor to Paxton at the center of the latest allegations against the attorney general. Full Story
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The aides are doubling down on accusations they made last week to law enforcement that Paxton had committed crimes including bribery and abuse of office. Full Story
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Four of the seven Texas attorneys general since 1972 have gone on to higher office, one stalled and one went to prison. Ken Paxton, the current AG, is in a situation now that could determine which way his career will go. Full Story
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Top officials in the Texas attorney general’s office accused their boss of bribery and abuse of power. He called them “rogue employees.” But the work has to go on. Full Story
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Seven senior officials said in a letter obtained by the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE that they have reason to believe Paxton should be investigated for "abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses." Full Story
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Disability rights activists say they’re worried the confusion may deter at-risk Texans from voting or cause them to needlessly put their health at risk to show up in person at the polls despite being eligible for mail-in voting. Full Story
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Nick Moutos threatened Black Lives Matter protesters and has regularly referred to the organizers as “terrorists.” He called Islam a “virus” and trans people an “abomination.” Full Story
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A U.S. district judge found Texas is “legally obligated” to allow voters to simultaneously register to vote with every driver's license renewal or change-of-address application, and ordered the state to set up a “fully operable” online system by Sept. 23. Full Story
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As health care professionals beg for supplies to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection, a Texas company found a seller with at least 2 million masks and quietly offered them for sale at $6 each. Before the pandemic, they cost around $1. Full Story
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The court granted abortion providers’ motion to temporarily block the state from enforcing the order, which was set to expire April 21, as it relates to abortions. Full Story
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The high court is likely to take up the landmark health law for the third time this fall and issue a decision in 2021. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued TPC Group on Friday, citing a slew of environmental violations at its Port Neches facility, including ones connected to a Nov. 27 explosion. Full Story
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The Texas attorney general got a political gift in the form of a friendly request for his opinion: a chance to take a swipe at a political nemesis. Full Story
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