We’ll see if he has any more luck with this than he has had with the state charges.
Best mugshot ever
Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have asked a federal court to dismiss the federal securities fraud charges against him.
[…]
Paxton’s lawyers in the federal case filed a motion Thursday seeking to dismiss the charges, arguing that the SEC has failed to show that Paxton lied to investors and arguing that the investors did not lose any money.
“In short, the SEC’s claims against Mr. Paxton are a dramatic overreach and lack any basis in law,” says the motion filed in the Eastern District of Texas. “Mr. Paxton should not be left to labor under a cloud of suspicion while enduring years of costly discovery to refute claims that are meritless on their face.”
Paxton reiterated Thursday his belief that he is innocent. “I did not violate the federal securities laws, and I intend to defend myself vigorously against these allegations,” Paxton said in a statement.
See here and here for the background. A copy of the Paxton motion is here. These are civil charges, meaning the worst Paxton will face if he loses is a fine, but also meaning that the standard of proof against him is less cumbersome. History suggests the odds are against him, but we know he was never going to do anything other than fight to the finish. He needs his image to be that of the poor persecuted True Conservative, and that is not compatible with making a deal. No indication at this time what the timeframe for this might be, so who knows how long this could take. The Chron and Trail Blazers have more.