Category Archives: Scandalized!

This week in Ken Paxton Dishonesty

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

What else has he been lying about? Ken Paxton told federal investigators a tech CEO gave him $100,000 worth of stock five years ago, but he never disclosed the shares as either a gift or income, an issue ethics experts … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on This week in Ken Paxton Dishonesty

Paxton prosecutor payment lawsuit tossed again

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And again I say, good. The Fifth Court of Appeals has dismissed a challenge to the payments being made to three sets of special prosecutors appointed in connection with criminal charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Collin County taxpayer … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton prosecutor payment lawsuit tossed again

State Auditor asked to investigate Paxton

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Come join the party. A liberal advocacy group wants the state auditor’s office to investigate whether Attorney General Ken Paxton broke the law by continuing to pay top staffersafter they resigned from the agency. Progress Texas, a self-described “progressive” public … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on State Auditor asked to investigate Paxton

Reynolds hit with $500K judgment

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Geez. State Rep. Ron Reynolds has been ordered to pay $504,000 in damages for failing to give a grieving mother her share of settlement money from a 2010 lawsuit. The embattled lawmaker, who is also an attorney, failed to give … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rangers investigating Rep. Dawnna Dukes

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Busy days for them. The Texas Rangers have joined a Travis County District Attorney office criminal probe into state Rep. Dawnna Dukes’ use of staff, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed. “At the request of the Travis County District … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rangers investigating Rep. Dawnna Dukes

Paxton’s pity party

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, boo hoo hoo. Attorney General Ken Paxton has blasted his indictments and other legal problems – including a previously undisclosed IRS investigation and frozen accounts – as a political witch-hunt fueled by fellow conservatives and the media. At a … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton’s pity party

Oh, Borris

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Not good. State Rep. Borris Miles, a Houston Democrat, repeatedly failed to disclose his business interests in three companies as state law requires. The lawmaker did not report on state ethics forms for several years that he had an ownership … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Being Sid Miller

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated, especially when your stories keep changing. The Texas Rangers are currently investigating whether Miller broke the law when he took those out-of-state, taxpayer-funded trips in February 2015. The first was to Oklahoma, where internal emails from the Department of … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Being Sid Miller

Weekend scandal news roundup

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If anything comes from the Texas Rangers investigation into his questionable expenditures, Ag Commissioner Sid Miller would be prosecuted in Travis County. If embattled Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is prosecuted for misusing government funds, his trial would be in … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sid Miller’s spokesperson jumps ship

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Who could blame her? The top spokeswoman for Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller resigned Monday, citing a “tremendous lack of communication” at the agency. The spokeswoman, Lucy Nashed, a former aide to then-Gov. Rick Perry, said she was leaving after … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Sid Miller’s spokesperson jumps ship

More on Paxton’s SEC troubles

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is, he’s gonna lose. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton may have some history on his side, but as of this week the numbers appear to be against him. Paxton, who is trying to become the latest in … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Paxton’s SEC troubles

Second complaint filed against Miller

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

You do the crime… A liberal advocacy group has filed another complaint against Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who found himself in hot water recently over possible misuse of state and campaign funds. The complaint, filed Wednesday by Progress Texas,asks … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SEC files charges against Paxton

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Bam! Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been charged in federal court with allegedly misleading investors in a technology company. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed the charges Monday in a Sherman-based court. They are similar to the allegations … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Rodeo had an extra clown this year

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

OK, it was a rodeo in Mississippi, but I wasn’t going to ruin a good headline. The point is, that clown’s name was Sid Miller. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller used a combination of taxpayer money and campaign funds to … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Case against Rick Perry officially dismissed

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

So there you have it. The criminal case against former Gov. Rick Perry was officially dismissed on Wednesday, weeks after Texas’ highest criminal court ordered that it be dropped. Judge Bert Richardson, who presided over the case in Travis County … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton to get full court treatment

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The full (sort of) 5th Court of Appeals will decide whether to dismiss or uphold the indictments against AG Ken Paxton. The 5th Court of Appeals announced late Friday that instead of the typical three-judge panel, nine of its 13 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton to get full court treatment

From the “It’s not the crime, it’s the coverup” department

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, Sid. You’re such a naughty boy. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s office withheld public records that suggest he obtained a medical procedure known as “The Jesus Shot” on a taxpayer-funded trip to Oklahoma, the Houston Chronicle has learned. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton’s pal’s firm fined again

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A bigger penalty this time, though he’s still in business. Mowery Capital Management, a McKinney-based investment firm with ties to indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton, has been fined $90,000 for violating state securities laws by providing false documents to Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton’s pal’s firm fined again

Collin County grand jury declines to add to Ken Paxton’s problems

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

He’s got that going for him, which is nice. A Collin County grand jury looking into a 2004 land sale tied to a business group involving Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has decided to drop its investigation, a lawyer for … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Collin County grand jury declines to add to Ken Paxton’s problems

Complaint filed against Sid Miller

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. A liberal advocacy group on Monday asked the Texas Rangers to investigate whether Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller used taxpayer money to fly to Oklahoma to get an injection known as “the Jesus Shot” that is supposed to cure … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Paxton prosecutors file their response briefs at the 5th Court of Appeals

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In sum: Don’t think about Rick Perry! A Travis County court’s decision to throw out Rick Perry’s abuse-of-power indictments should have no bearing on Ken Paxton’s securities fraud case, the team prosecuting the first-term attorney general wrote in their latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton prosecutors file their response briefs at the 5th Court of Appeals

Paxton prosecutor payment lawsuit tossed

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Collin County court Thursday tossed out an attempt to stop payments to the special prosecutors appointed to pursue the financial fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Filed by prominent real estate developer and Paxton donor Jeff … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton prosecutor payment lawsuit tossed

Another look at how long the Paxton case could take

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN makes the same comparisons that I have made. Ken Paxton has spent eight months — the majority of his time as attorney general — under indictment. The legal cloud shows no sign of dissipating. How long the case … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another look at how long the Paxton case could take

One State Bar complaint against Paxton dismissed

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of good news for our embattled AG, but not much. The State Bar of Texas has dismissed one of two pending complaints against Attorney General Ken Paxton. The dismissed complaint, filed in February by attorney and blogger … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on One State Bar complaint against Paxton dismissed

Court hears arguments over paying Paxton’s prosecutors

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I am rooting for this to be thrown out of court. Dallas County Court at Law Judge Mark Greenberg heard arguments Friday over jurisdictional issues in the civil case brought by taxpayer Jeffory Blackard. Blackard is challenging the $300 per … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is there anything more to the Rick Perry case?

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’m dubious. The special prosecutor in the abuse-of-power case against Rick Perry said Thursday he still hasn’t decided whether to drop the matter a week after the state’s highest criminal court ordered that the indictment against the former governor be … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is there anything more to the Rick Perry case?

How is Ken Paxton paying for his defense?

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody really knows. Well, nobody who isn’t Ken Paxton, anyway. How Paxton is paying for his criminal defense — a legal tab estimated to easily exceed a million dollars — is one of the ongoing puzzles in the case against … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton files his first indictment appeal

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And on we go. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continues to fight to get out from under three felony indictments, arguing anew before a Dallas appeals court that he is innocent of accusations he repeatedly violated state securities laws. “We … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CCA dismisses remaining charge against Rick Perry

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This would appear to be the end of the road. The state’s highest criminal court dismissed the remaining indictment against former Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday morning, apparently ending the case that started with his threat to veto state funding … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Collin County argues against anti-Paxton prosecutor lawsuit

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Reluctantly. [Collin County Commissioners] Court on Thursday urged a Dallas judge to drop a lawsuit seeking to block payment to the special prosecutors. The suit, filed in December by local real estate developer and Paxton donor Jeffory Blackard, should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Collin County argues against anti-Paxton prosecutor lawsuit

Once again, I spoke too soon about the Ethics Commission and Ken Paxton

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll be damned. The Texas Ethics Commission declined to pass an opinion that would have said it was okay for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to accept out-of-state gifts from donors to help pay the legal costs for his indictment. … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Once again, I spoke too soon about the Ethics Commission and Ken Paxton

Paxton can get some help with his legal bills

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

With some conditions attached, for whatever that’s worth. Indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton could tap out-of-state supporters to pay his legal defense team but must ensure those funds have not been funneled from any Texas donors, according to a draft … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton can get some help with his legal bills

Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Paxton appeals process to play out

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Better settle in and get comfy, because this could take awhile. An appeal by Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is seeking to dismiss charges that he violated state securities laws, will extend at least into spring, with a strong chance … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chron calls on Paxton to step down

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chronicle’s editorial board would like for Ken Paxton to get the hell out of Dodge already. Like any other defendant, the state’s chief legal and law-enforcement officer deserves the presumption of innocence. At the same time, the people of … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron calls on Paxton to step down