Thread by @SergioMarBel

The Texas House General Investigating Committee is meeting right now to discuss investigation into Attorney General Ken Paxton's settlement with the whistleblowers who accused him of using his office for political favors for political donors and one of his friends. #txlege

Erin Epley, one of the attorneys of the committee, says Matter A "relates to the attorney general himself Kenneth Paxton."

She says Paxton's role includes defending the state when a state agency wrongfully terminates an employe. #txlege

Epley says that 14 out 15 people interviewed in the Office of the Attorney General expressed "grave concerns" of fear of retaliation.

Committee hears from one of its attorneys about Paxton accepting donations from people investigated by state and federal authorities.

One of the donors gave $100K to Paxton's defense fund. He allegedly didn't report the donation because he considered it "a gift."

Now we are talking about whistleblowers' allegations.

Attorney for committee says that on Dec. 2019 Paxton asked his deputies for advise on disputed records request involving Nate Paul, real estate investor. Paul wanted access to sealed info of search warrant against himself.

AG Paxton told deputy he thought it was unfair that Nate Paul could not have access to his own search warrant information. Paxton told deputies he too had experienced unfair treatment from law enforcement.

Deputy googled Nate Paul and learned he was being investigated by the FBI. He also saw Paul had multiple bankruptcies.

Deputies concluded the records should not be released, and Paxton was not happy.

Paxton asked for open records handbook & had meeting with op. rec. chief.

Determination was that records should not be released to Nate Paul, "which was the correct one under the law," the attorney for the committee says.

A few months later, in 2020, Paxton told his deputy that Nate Paul "was being railroaded."

"(Paxton) said he did not want to use his office to help the feds or DPS."

During the summer of 2020, Paxton's aid was asked to deliver to Nate Paul a manila envelope concerning "several sheets of paper."

After the delivery, Paul's attorneys stopped asking about the FBI investigation.

"This particular delivery was abnormal enough."

On July 2020 Paxton contacted a senior staff member to research whether in-person foreclosure sales violated COVID restrictions. He wanted an opinion drafted within two days, which is "extremely abnormal."

When asked if anybody made the request, Paxton gave a phone number.

Attorney for the committee says "this also violated codified procedure because any request or opinion must be made in writing — cannot be made orally."

The senior staff member called # & attorney for committee says it's their understanding the individual was Sen. Brian Hughes.

Staff for OAG found that foreclosure sales didn't violate COVID restrictions. But a staffer was instructed that Paxton "wanted to find a way to stop foreclosure sales" and that the opinion needed to change.

A few days later, staff reworked the opinion.

The staff learned that Nate Paul had 13 properties set for foreclosure during that timeframe (Aug 2020).

"The whistleblowers believe that the only logical reason was that General Paxton wanted the opinion completed before the foreclosure sales" related to Paul's properties.

🚨The House General Investigating Committee will continue the hearing on investigation into AG Ken Paxton while the House is in session at 10AM. 🚨 #txlege

According to investigators, Nate Paul had file a complaint on the FBI search warrant. OAG staff arranged a meeting with Nate Paul.

OAG staff found there was no evidence to support Nate Paul's claim of evidence tampering by FBI and federal agents.

Paxton was warned by staff about Nate Paul's businesses and the dangers of issue.

Paxton set up another meeting between Nate Paul & OAG. Staff once again said there was a lack of evidence and witnesses say Paul "dressed down OAG senior staff as if they were his own employees."

A few weeks later, staff members learned that Paxton was looking to hire an outside counsel, bypassing many of the protocols in place for hiring someone outside the OAG.

He pressured staff to hire attorney Brandon Cammack. Nate Paul was the person who referred Cammack.

Cammack's contract was approved by Paxton.

Cammack was then given the power to nearly 40 subpoenas to help Nate Paul in his claims of tampering and criminal activity by the FBI after they searched his property.

"Wow!" - Chairman Andrew Murr #txlege

Cammack was hired to be a prosecutor, not an investigator. Committee attorneys say Paxton's staff over and over told Paxton Cammack was not qualified for the position.

$25K were allocated for Cammack.

"The actions were grossly outside of the line of established norms ... the only beneficiary of the fruits of the investigation notwithstanding its lack of legal and credible basis would have been Nate Paul," says one of the investigators.

Interesting nugget: The Paxtons have multiple properties in Austin, and College Station and other areas...

TWO properties are under Texas' homestead exemption, when the law says only the primary residence can be under the exemption. #txlege

The House investigators go over what they say are the violations evidence show:

-Gift to a public servant (misdemeanor)
-Abuse of official capacity
-Securities fraud (felonies)
-Misuse of official information (3rd degree felony)
-Retaliation and official oppression (misdemeanor)

Other potential violations:

-Misapplication of fiduciary property

According to investigators, employees who confronted Paxton over his affair where given a salary raise but where given different duties and were isolated.

Investigators also say the evidence show:

-Violation of the whistleblower statute
-Impersonating a public servant
-Dereliction of duty
-False statements