Category Archives: Scandalized!

This week on “As Collin County Turns”

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I swear, the Ken Paxton case is a giant vortex of political suck, absorbing everything in its wake. The Collin County district judge who oversaw the grand jury indictment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton is now facing a complaint … Continue reading →

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TPJ files complaint against Cruz

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Look out, Ted. In a formal complaint sent to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) today, Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) urged the agency to audit and investigate the Ted Cruz for Senate Committee’s failure to disclose to voters that Goldman … Continue reading →

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Reynolds loses another request in court

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

More bad news. State Rep. Ron Reynolds has lost his bid to resume practicing law while he appeals his conviction for illegally soliciting clients. Montgomery County County Court-at-Law Judge Mary Ann Turner on Thursday denied the request by Reynolds, who … Continue reading →

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Paxton prosecutors sue AG office to block records

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hold on to your hats. In an unusual and head-spinning twist, prosecutors in the criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the attorney general’s office Thursday to block the release of sensitive case information that could hinder Paxton’s … Continue reading →

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More special prosecutors for Paxton

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Uh, oh. Two additional special prosecutors have been appointed to look into other allegations of criminal misconduct involving Attorney General Ken Paxton, News 8 has learned. The two Fort Worth attorneys – Miles Brissette and former state district Judge Bob … Continue reading →

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Collin County agrees to pay Paxton prosecutors

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Grudgingly. For now. The special prosecutors handling the criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be paid for their work so far at the rate they were promised. Commissioners voted 3-2 on Monday to pay the more than … Continue reading →

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Paxton motion to cap prosecutors’ fees rejected

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A state district judge Wednesday rejected Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to drastically cut legal fees for prosecutors in the criminal case against him. District Judge George Gallagher issued two orders overruling Paxton’s objections to the prosecutors’ fees … Continue reading →

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Another attack on the Paxton prosecution

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… A prominent real estate developer has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop payments to the private attorneys appointed to prosecute Attorney General Ken Paxton — the latest twist in the Republican’s securities fraud case. … Continue reading →

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Paxton officially reindicted

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The judge in AG Ken Paxton’s securities fraud case approved the amended indictments that were most recently filed against him. The two first-degree felony indictments alleging securities fraud delete the amount of shares of Servergy Inc. stock that Paxton was … Continue reading →

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Paxton remains under indictment

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A state district judge on Friday rejected Ken Paxton’s request to throw out his three felony indictments, likely sending the first-term attorney general to trial next year unless his lawyers appeal the ruling. “Yes, all the motions we … Continue reading →

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Judge from Paxton grand jury hearing has his say

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Time for more popcorn. Once upon a time, Ken Paxton and Chris Oldner were political allies, dinner companions, and perhaps, even friends. Not any more, though. In legal filings and court hearings, Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal team has taken … Continue reading →

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Reynolds alleges bias in his conviction

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Anything is possible. A Fort Bend County lawmaker is waging a public counter-offensive against prosecutors in nearby Montgomery County after his unusual conviction for illegally soliciting clients for his law practice, saying that he was the victim of selective prosecution … Continue reading →

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Former Servergy CEO sues over Paxton-related costs

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What a tangled web. The former CEO of the technology startup named in Ken Paxton’s indictments is suing the company he founded for costs associated with the attorney general’s criminal investigation and ongoing legal battle. William Mapp III, the founder … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s first day in court

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

And they’re off! Clashing at a pretrial hearing Tuesday, lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton dismissed the criminal case against him as the result of a “rogue prosecution,” while prosecutors accused Paxton of relying on “nonsense” arguments and a string … Continue reading →

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Ethics Commission backs off on letting others pay Paxton’s legal bills

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. State regulators punted Monday on guidance that would clear the way for recently-indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton to accept money as a gift from out-of-state donors to finance his legal defense of felony securities fraud charges. After a … Continue reading →

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Paxton can get others to pay his legal bills

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Christmas in November for our felonious Attorney General. Texas’ ethics regulator has carved a path for Attorney General Ken Paxton to tap out-of-state donors to pay his legal tab to defend against felony fraud charges. The Texas Ethics Commission, … Continue reading →

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Reynolds receives jail sentence in barratry case

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He got the max for the misdemeanor charge on which he was convicted. State Rep. Ron Reynolds could spend up to a year in jail after he was sentenced Monday to the maximum penalty following his conviction on charges arising … Continue reading →

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Paxton fires back at prosecutors

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Incoming! Lawyers in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s ongoing securities fraud case have fired back against special prosecutors in the latest in a series of back-and-forth court filings. In their Thursday filing, Paxton’s attorneys called the prosecutors’ reply to their motions … Continue reading →

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Rep. Ron Reynolds convicted of misdemeanor barratry charge

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The word “tawdry” applies to this. State Rep. Ron Reynolds was convicted Friday of illegally soliciting clients in an “ambulance chasing for profit” scheme, a verdict that carries the threat of jail time and deals a blow to his political … Continue reading →

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Perry’s day at the CCA

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Now we wait to see if he comes out of this a free man or a man still under one or more indictments. Lawyers for former Gov. Rick Perry fought Wednesday before the highest criminal court in Texas to finish … Continue reading →

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Ken Paxton says Ken Paxton’s arrest video can’t be released

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

How convenient. I looked into the unusual situation in which the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was asked to rule on its boss. Here’s what happened. Media organizations requested the video of Paxton’s recent booking into the Collin … Continue reading →

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More prosecution responses to Paxton

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Keep ’em coming, y’all. Prosecutors in the criminal case against Attorney General Ken Paxton defended themselves in a court filing Tuesday, calling accusations of misconduct leveled by defense lawyers a gratuitous ploy to direct attention away from Paxton’s felony indictments. … Continue reading →

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Prosecution responds to Paxton’s motions to quash

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’re pretty harsh. In a 19-page court filing peppered with disdain — one footnote likens Paxton’s defense to an exchange from the 1978 film Animal House — the prosecutors called the attorney general’s legal arguments this week that the judge … Continue reading →

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Paxton recuses himself from lots of regular AG activity

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Other people in the AG’s office are doing parts of Ken Paxton’s job because right now he can’t. The AG’s office has followed agency policy, state rules and laws to screen Paxton from participating in matters where he may have … Continue reading →

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Paxton will get his hands on grand jury info

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for Team Paxton. A district judge ruled Friday to grant information related to the selection of Collin County grand juries to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s defense team. The ruling by District Judge George Galllagher came over objections by … Continue reading →

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Not so fast with those subpoenas

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The special prosecutors in the Paxton case respond forcefully to his legal team’s grand jury-related subpoenas. Special prosecutors in Ken Paxton’s felony securities fraud case are seeking to quash subpoenas his lawyers filed last week seeking information about the grand … Continue reading →

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Paxton seeks grand jury information

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ken Paxton’s legal team has filed five subpoenas seeking more information relating to the grand jury that indicted him. The defense seeks a complete transcript and audio recording related to the selection of the grand jurors who indicted him. […] … Continue reading →

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Ethics investigator clears Farenthold

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news for a controversial Congressman. Ethics investigators struck a blow Monday to an ex-House staffer’s sexual harassment claims against Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, nine months after the fired communications director filed suit in District of Columbia court. The … Continue reading →

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Why Ken Paxton isn’t going anywhere

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s as simple as one: In a rare public appearance since his indictment in late July, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made an appeal for more Christian involvement in politics as he addressed the congregation at First Baptist Grapevine on … Continue reading →

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Still more on Paxton

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer takes a deeper dive into the dirty life and times of Ken Paxton. When Paxton was elected to the Texas House in 2002, his yearly personal financial disclosure form was essentially a blank slate, listing little more than … Continue reading →

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Paxton the political advisor

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The former CEO of the technology firm tied to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s securities fraud indictment told investigators he paid the then-lawmaker to provide information on how to market his product to government agencies, according to a new … Continue reading →

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Still working out Paxton prosecution costs

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Collin County is still hoping to do this on the cheap. Collin County officials expect to budget $100,000 to prosecute Attorney General Ken Paxton, but hope to eventually slash that amount by two-thirds. The county Commissioners Court on Monday evening … Continue reading →

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Paxton hires new attorneys

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s see if he can keep them. Facing a high-profile securities fraud trial that could cost him his job and land him in prison, Attorney General Ken Paxton has enlisted the help of two top defense lawyers known for their … Continue reading →

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How much would you pay to prosecute Ken Paxton?

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever your answer, Collin County Commissioners Court wants to pay less. Collin County officials want to cap the cost of prosecuting Attorney General Ken Paxton at a fraction of the previously discussed price tag of $285,000, and are questioning whether … Continue reading →

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