Thread by @HalMarshall2309

It sucks to be Ken Paxton. It sucks even more that Ken Paxton is the Attorney General of Texas.
#VoteRochelleGarza
#VoteBlue2022
rochellegarzafortexas.com

"A federal judge who previously quashed the subpoena ruled that the attorney general must take the witness stand in a lawsuit from abortion funds."

texastribune.org/2022/10/04/ken…

Judge Pitman ordered Paxton to testify after finding his attorneys lied to the court. His ruling uses more discrete language re candor, etc. But the bottom line is Paxton's attorneys & Paxton lied. They knew the process server was coming, because plaintiffs told them about it.

"A federal judge has ordered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify in an abortion rights lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman had previously quashed the subpoena, which Paxton fled his home to avoid being served.

"In a hearing last week, lawyers representing abortion rights nonprofits asked Pitman to reconsider and require Paxton to testify. Pitman granted their motion on Tuesday.

"These nonprofits, called abortion funds, brought the lawsuit in August, seeking assurance that they will not be criminally or civilly penalized for helping Texans pay for abortions out of state.

"They have argued that Paxton’s statements on social media and in the press make it clear that the state’s top lawyer believes the abortion funds can and should be prosecuted for their work over state lines.

"Accordingly, lawyers for the abortion funds tried to serve Paxton with a subpoena to get him to testify in last week’s hearing. Emails show that Paxton’s office was aware that they intended to serve him with a subpoena before the process server showed up at his home on Sept. 26.

"When the process server tried to serve the subpoena, however, Paxton fled his home in a truck driven by his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, according to an affidavit. Paxton said in a statement that the 'strange man' lingering around his house caused him to fear for his safety.

"The next morning, Pitman quashed the subpoena.

"But in Tuesday’s order, he said he did so 'on the assumption that counsel for Paxton had made candid representations to the Court … only to learn later that Paxton failed to disclose Plaintiffs’ repeated emails attempting to inquire as to whether Paxton could testify.'

"Pitman also sided with the abortion funds’ argument that Paxton has unique, first-hand knowledge that requires him to testify."