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Tag: dan patrick
Ken Paxton

Trial Date Set For Ken Paxton Securities Fraud Trial

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges has been set for April 15.

State District Judge Andrea Beall scheduled the trial during a hearing Monday morning in Houston. Paxton attended the hearing but did not speak at it.

Paxton was indicted on the charges over eight years ago, months into his first term as the state’s top law enforcement official. The charges stem from accusations that in 2011 he tried to solicit investors in a McKinney, Texas technology company without disclosing that it was paying him to promote its stock. Paxton has pleaded not guilty.

The trial is a reminder that Paxton's legal problems persist even after the Texas Senate acquitted him last month in an impeachment trial on unrelated allegations. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presided over that trial and has faced intense criticism for taking $3 million from a pro-Paxton group in the lead-up to the trial.

"Unlike the impeachment, this is going to be a fair trial," special prosecutor Kent Schaffer told reporters after the hearing. "This judge is not corrupt. This judge is not on the take."

The hearing was brief and did not settle one lingering pretrial issue: how much the special prosecutors should get paid. The judge also scheduled a February pretrial conference.

Paxton's lawyer Philip Hilder told reporters his side was "gratified" with the trial date and criticized the special prosecutors for their focus on their pay.

"It's show-me-the-money," Hilder said. "It's all about the money to them."

The prosecutors say they have not been paid since January 2016. A Paxton supporter filed a lawsuit challenging their fee schedule in the early months of the case, and both sides have been wrangling over the issue ever since.

The trial has been delayed for years over a number of pretrial disputes, including the prosecutors' pay and the venue. The case began in Paxton’s native Collin County but was moved to more neutral territory in Harris County at the prosecution’s urging.

Paxton faces two counts of securities fraud, a first-degree felony with a punishment of up to 99 years in prison. Paxton also faces one count of failing to register with state securities regulators, a third-degree felony with a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The impeachment trial centered on different allegations of bribery and malfeasance made by former top deputies in his office. When the House impeached Paxton in May, it included multiple articles of impeachment related to the securities case, but the Senate set those aside for the trial and dismissed them afterward.

While the prosecutors emphasized they expect a fairer trial than the one the Senate conducted, Hilder declined to draw any comparisons. The impeachment trial "was unrelated to what we're defending against," Hilder said.

The impeachment articles focused on allegations that Paxton misused his office to help his friend investigate claims that he was being targeted by federal and local law enforcement, in exchange for favors that included giving a job to a woman with whom he was having an affair.

While the Senate's acquittal was a political triumph for the third-term Republican, Paxton still has significant legal issues. In addition to the securities fraud case, he faces a federal investigation into the claims by his former top staffers, who allege he abused his office to help a friend and donor, Nate Paul.

In the securities fraud case, the prosecutors' pay may be the last major pending issue before the trial. In 2018, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals struck down the fee agreement, arguing that it fell outside legal limits for what such attorneys may be paid. The court ordered a previous Harris County judge overseeing the case to come up with a new payment schedule, but that never happened and the prosecutors have continued to go unpaid.

During the hearing Monday, Paxton lawyer Bill Mateja sought to propose an order addressing the pay issue from his side's perspective. But Beall repeatedly said she would decide on her own.

The judge did not indicate when she would make a ruling on the pay, according to one of the prosecutors, Brian Wice.

Wice said Paxton's lawyers are so focused on their pay because they have known "the only way to derail this prosecution was to defund it." Wice said he is owed "a lot" and Schaffer estimated he has "500 unpaid hours" dating back to 2016.

The prosecutors have previously raised the possibility they could withdraw from the case if they are not paid. Asked about that Monday, Schaffer said "we have to see what happens," while Wice promised he is "not going anywhere."

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Dan Patrick

Top Texas Republicans Split Angrily Over Big Donor's Ties To Neo-Nazi Fuentes

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is expressing anger and outrage after his state’s Speaker of the House, a fellow Republican, issued a statement denouncing an influential far-right activist, donor and Super PAC head, saying, “The Republican Party is no place for Hitler apologists.”

Speaker Dade Phelan on Monday demanded the Lt. Governor give away $3 million in donations he received from Defend Texas Liberty PAC, whose President, Jonathan Stickland, he says, “fraternized for six hours with a notorious, anti-Semitic, nazi sympathizer who denies the existence of the Holocaust.” Stickland is the Republican former Texas state representative who reportedly said in 2008, “Rape is non existent in marriage, take what you want my friend!” and has called vaccines “sorcery.”

Phelan was referring to “notorious white supremacist and antisemite Nick Fuentes,” writes Mark Pitcavage, a Senior Research Fellow at the ADL Center on Extremism.

“At a time when we are witnessing heinous attacks on our Israeli allies by Hamas terrorists – the most egregious assault on Jewish lives since the Holocaust – Jonathan Stickland, the President of Defend Texas Liberty PAC, fraternized for six hours with a notorious, anti-Semitic, nazi sympathizer who denies the existence of the Holocaust,” wrote Phelan, citing a Texas Tribune report from Sunday.

“This not just a casual misstep. It’s indicative of the moral, political rot that has been festering in a certain segment of our party for far too long. Anti-Semitism, bigotry and Hitler apologists should find no sanctuary in the Republican party. Period. We cannot – and must not – tolerate the tacit endorsement of such vile ideologies.”

Phelan continued, saying, “I call upon any elected official who has accepted political donations from Defend Texas Liberty PAC, or any of its affiliate organizations, to immediately redirect every single cent of those contributions to a charitable organization of his or her choice.”

“Furthermore, I call upon elected officials and candidates to state unequivocally that they will not accept further contributions, including in-kind contributions, from the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. Recently, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick took $3 million from this organization. I expect him to lead the way in redirecting these funds.”

“Additionally, the Republican Party of Texas has received $132,500 during this election cycle from the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. As of their last report, RPT had just under $50,000 on hand. I call upon Chairman Matt Rinaldi to direct the party to donate these Defend Texas Liberty funds to charity. And if doing so would take the party into the red, I would be happy to provide a short-term loan until Chairman Rinaldi can replace the money with other donations.”

“There is no excuse to keep tainted funds from an organization that provides a platform for hatemongers, sexual predators, racists and nazi sympathizers.”

The Texas Tribune report noted that it had “observed Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi outside the building, but he denied meeting Fuentes and denounced him.”

Just a few hours after Phelan’s statement, Lt. Gov. Patrick demanded the Speaker resign.

“I didn’t think even Dade Phelan would stoop this low,” Patrick in a statement, Austin, Texas’ KDFM reports. “He has now absolutely hit rock bottom. His latest political stunt is disgusting, despicable, and disingenuous. With nearly 1,000 dead and over a hundred kidnapped, anyone who would use the war in Israel for their own political purposes is revolting, repulsive, and repugnant. Nick Fuentes and his anti-Semitic rhetoric have no place in the United States. Those who spew such vile, loathsome, abominations will have to answer for it.”

“For anyone to try to use these invectives for their own political gain is below contempt,” Patrick aded. “I am calling on Dade Phelan to resign his position before the House gavels in this afternoon. There is no place in Texas political discourse for any elected official to use the atrocities in Israel for their own political gain. That’s what Dade Phelan is doing. At this point, he’s simply got to go.”

KDFM adds that “Patrick’s denunciation of Fuentes comes after Fuentes met with Defend Texas Liberty PAC leadership, from whom Patrick accepted $3 million.”

Reprinted with permission from AlterNet

Ken Paxton

Impeachment Trial 'Judge' Accepts $3M From Defendant Paxton's Supporters

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, received $3 million in campaign support last month from a top group campaigning against Paxton’s impeachment.

In a campaign-finance report published Tuesday, Patrick — who is not up for reelection until 2026 — reported a $1 million contribution and a $2 million loan from Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The political action committee was by far his biggest benefactor on the report, which covered Patrick’s fundraising from June 19-30. It was the first opportunity state officials had to fundraise since the House impeached Paxton in late May.

Patrick’s Senate has scheduled a trial to begin September 5 to determine whether to permanently remove Paxton from office. Patrick has been acting as presiding officer of the trial — effectively the judge — and the fundraising period partially overlapped with the Senate’s deliberations over the trial rules. The chamber approved the rules June 21.

Shortly after the House impeached Paxton, Defend Texas Liberty PAC sent text messages to GOP voters asking them to call their state senators and tell them to “stop this madness and end this witch hunt.” It has also made clear it will politically target House Republicans who voted for impeachment.

“Defend Texas Liberty will ensure that every Republican voter in Texas knows just what a sham the Texas House has been this session and just how absurd this last minute Democrat led impeachment effort is,” the group said in a May 26 tweet.

The group is led by former state Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford), and has been a lead player in trying to push Texas Republicans further to the right. Best known for bankrolling primary challengers to House GOP members, Defend Texas Liberty is primarily funded by longtime far-right megadonors Tim Dunn and the Wilks family.

In its latest campaign-finance filing, the PAC disclosed just under $2 million in donations from Dunn. It also reported a $1.5 million check from Farris and Jo Ann Wilks.

Paxton himself reported $1.7 million in contributions over the last 12 days of June. One of his top donors was Dunn, who gave $150,000.

Patrick has previously received financial support from the PAC, including in his reelection campaign last year. But the latest burst of money comes as all eyes are on his front-and-center role in the impeachment trial.

Patrick’s $1 million donation from the PAC represented nearly a quarter of his total fundraising for the period. The donation arrived June 27, and the loan was made two days later. Its maturity date is June 30, 2025.

Strickland declined to comment on the PAC’s latest support for Patrick. But Strickland appeared to make reference to it in a defiant tweet.

“This is just the beginning, wait till you see the next report,” he said. “We will never stop. Ever. Grassroot conservatives will be heard.”

Patrick’s campaign also declined to comment, citing Senate trial rules. Patrick issued a wide-ranging gag order Monday on parties involved in the case.

Patrick’s campaign, however, issued a news release Monday touting his fundraising without mentioning how much he raised or where the money came from. The only statistic the news release identified was Patrick’s cash on hand as of June 30 — $22.2 million.

“I was humbled by the outpouring of support for the work we have accomplished during the 88th Legislative Session. The grassroots and the business leaders across Texas agree with the direction Texas is heading,” Patrick said in the news release. “I appreciate the financial support.”

Patrick is up for reelection in 2026. He initially said this would be his last term but reversed himself earlier this year, and his campaign reiterated in Monday’s news release that he plans to seek another term in three years.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Dan Patrick

Texas Official Boasts Of 'Bringing Prayer Back To Classrooms'

Texas far-right Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is lauding two just-passed state Senate bills which mandate the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in every public school classroom and that public schools be allowed to create times specifically devoted so people can pray or read the Bible or other religious works.

In theory, both bills could be challenged by civil rights attorneys as unconstitutional, and Patrick’s praise of the legislation might make any case against them stronger.

“I believe that you cannot change the culture of the country until you change the culture of mankind,” Patrick said in a statement, The Texas Tribune reports. “Bringing the Ten Commandments and prayer back to our public schools will enable our students to become better Texans.”

Patrick, who has control over what legislation is voted on in the Texas legislature, appears to be revealing his intent to put prayer back into public school classrooms, which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in 1962.

“The state cannot hold prayers in public schools, even if participation is not required and the prayer is not tied to a particular religion,” the legal website Oyez explains.

Republican State Sen. Phil King “said during a committee hearing earlier this month that the Ten Commandments are part of American heritage and it’s time to bring them back into the classroom. He said the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for his bill after it sided with Joe Kennedy, a high school football coach in Washington state who was fired for praying at football games. The court ruled that was praying as a private citizen, not as an employee of the district,” the Tribune reports.

But just as with prayer in schools, the Supreme Court decades ago also ruled that putting the Ten Commandments in public schools is unconstitutional.

Earlier this month, when the Texas bill was before the state Senate’s Education Committee, we reported that in 1980. the U.S. Supreme Court in Stone v. Graham ruled 5-4 that a Kentucky state law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. That law, as Oyez notes, “required the posting of a copy of the Ten Commandments in each public school classroom,” just as the proposed Texas bill, SB 1515, does.

The Ten Commandments bill is opposed by John Litzler, general counsel and director of public policy at the Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission, who “said at the committee hearing that the organization has concerns about taxpayer money being used to buy religious texts and that parents, not schools, should be having conversations about religion with their children.”

“I should have the right to introduce my daughter to the concepts of adultery and coveting someone’s spouse,” Litzler said. “It shouldn’t be one of the first things she learns to read in her kindergarten classroom.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.