Tag Archives: Collin County

Statewide review: 2016 was like 2008, but not in a good way

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s no point in beating around the bush, so I’ll just come out and say it: Despite the excitement about increases in voter registration and heavy early voting turnout. statewide Democratic candidates outside of Hillary Clinton generally did not do … Continue reading →

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Initial thoughts: Statewide

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

See part 1 on Harris County here. The current statewide tally is Trump 52.39%, Clinton 43.34%. She received 3,848,617 votes to his 4,651,955. That’s an improvement of some 540K votes over Obama in 2012, which I certainly would have deemed … Continue reading →

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Paxton asks for SEC charges to be dismissed again

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Once more, with feeling. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked a federal judge to once again dismiss a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission complaint accusing him of defrauding investors in private business deals in 2011. U.S. District Judge … Continue reading →

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Off to trial for Paxton

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

No more appeals, so a trial is in the works. Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are no longer asking to have a state securities fraud case against him dismissed, moving him closer to a trial on the criminal … Continue reading →

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Collin County won’t fight its special prosecutor bill

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For now, anyway. The Collin County Commissioners Court on Monday voted to take “a careful review” of the cost of prosecuting Attorney General Ken Paxton, while appealing to residents to set aside emotions and avoid attacking the court’s future decisions. … Continue reading →

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Help a crony out?

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Collin County, y’all. Collin County lawmakers debated intervening in Ken Paxton’s legal woes by pressuring county leaders to cut funding for the case, according to a series of private text messages exchanged last week. Taxpayers in Paxton’s home county are … Continue reading →

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SEC to try again with Paxton

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is not giving up on its case against Attorney General Ken Paxton. The commission filed amended civil charges against Paxton on Friday, two weeks after a federal judge … Continue reading →

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CCA declines to take Paxton off the hook

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. The highest criminal court in Texas said Wednesday it will not hear Ken Paxton’s appeal of securities fraud charges, putting the attorney general on a path to facing a trial in the coming months. “Today’s ruling marks an … Continue reading →

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Paxton beats SEC rap

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Two down, one left. A judge has thrown out the federal civil case accusing Attorney General Ken Paxton of securities fraud, giving him his biggest legal victory yet since the allegations surfaced more than a year ago. U.S. District Judge … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s day in SEC court

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a slightly misleading headline, but you get the point. Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will argue Friday morning in a Sherman courtroom that the federal civil fraud case against him should be dismissed, their latest effort to … Continue reading →

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Paxton appeals to CCA

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Last chance to avoid a trial or a plea deal. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is appealing the securities fraud charges against him to the state’s highest criminal court, in one last bid to dismiss the case before it potentially … Continue reading →

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District appeals court declines to reconsider Paxton indictment

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A state appeals court Thursday rejected Attorney General Ken Paxton’s motion to reconsider its June 1 ruling that upheld criminal charges against him. The two-sentence order from the Dallas-based 5th Court of Appeals gave no reason for the … Continue reading →

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Paxton asks appeals court to reconsider

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty please? Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked a state appeals court to reconsider its recent ruling that upheld the criminal charges against him. The motion did not address the two most serious charges alleging that Paxton … Continue reading →

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5th Court of Appeals refuses to toss Paxton indictments

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A Dallas appeals court on Wednesday upheld Attorney General Ken Paxton’s three felony fraud indictments, a decision he is likely to appeal to the highest criminal court in the state. “We are gratified but not surprised that just … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s day in appellate court

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The grand jury was out to get Ken Paxton, apparently. Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday tried to cast doubt on the makeup of the grand jury that indicted him. They’re hoping to overturn a lower court’s decision … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Can Dems make progress in Collin County?

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It sure would be nice if they could. It’s no secret that Plano’s Prestonwood Baptist Church has long wielded tremendous political influence, often quietly blurring the local lines between church and state. But in the 2016 cycle, with the Republican … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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