Just weeks before his scheduled trial, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has consistently denied the allegations of securities fraud against him, received a surprising development. On Tuesday, the prosecutors made the unexpected decision to drop the charges, though with certain conditions attached.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has agreed to a pretrial agreement that includes several requirements. ABC News reviewed the agreement, which states that Paxton, the top lawyer in the state, will have to fulfill certain obligations. These include community service, legal ethics courses, and making a restitution payment of nearly $300,000.
In 2015, shortly after Paxton assumed office, he faced charges of allegedly defrauding investors. The accusations claimed that he had encouraged them to invest in a tech startup without disclosing that he was receiving payment to promote it.
Paxton maintains his innocence and has consistently denied any involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.
In a statement posted on Tuesday afternoon, he confidently declared, “I am not guilty, and there will never be a conviction in this case.”
Paxton is not obligated to enter a plea under the pretrial agreement. Prosecutors have not provided any additional comments at this time.
If Paxton had been found guilty of fraud, he could have potentially faced several decades in prison.
The trial has faced numerous delays due to various reasons, such as changes in venue and issues surrounding payment for the prosecutors.
Paxton recently attempted to have the charges against him dismissed on the grounds that the trial had been excessively prolonged. However, the state placed the blame for much of the delay on Paxton himself, and a judge ultimately rejected his claim that his right to a speedy trial had been violated.
Ken Paxton, a Republican who made headlines and assumed the role of attorney general in 2015, encountered several other challenges during his tenure.
Last year, the state Senate acquitted him on 16 articles of impeachment, with many other Republicans in the state House supporting the articles against him.
Since the autumn of 2020, Paxton has been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation in Texas. The FBI initiated this probe after receiving allegations of abuse of office and misconduct from a group of former employees who chose to blow the whistle.
Paxton has not faced any charges in the investigation, and the Department of Justice has announced that its Public Integrity Section will be handling the case, which was initially led by the state.
According to Paxton, he maintains his innocence and asserts that he did not engage in any wrongdoing.
