Now midway through the legislative session in Austin, Paxton and state lawmakers are at a standstill — and taxpayers are caught in the middle.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton discusses a proposed $26 billion multi-state opioid settlement during a news conference at the Houston Recovery Center Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Houston.Attorney General Ken Paxton had come to an agreement with four of his former aides who he fired after they accused him of corruption.
Lawmakers have so far declined to include the settlement money in any budget bills, while Paxton argues that the agreement would ultimately save taxpayers from funding a lengthy court case that may end with a higher price tag. Lawmakers suggested at a budget hearing last month that Paxton should use his own campaign funds to settle the case, as the state's election laws allow. But a Paxton staffer interjected, noting that whistleblower laws hold the office accountable, not the officeholder.
As of January, Paxton had $2.3 million in his campaign war chest and $1.3 million in outstanding loans. He would have to fundraise to pay off the rest of the settlement — a “horrific” option for the attorney general, Rottinghaus said. Turner pushed back on that claim, pointing to a court filing by the attorney general’s office in which Paxton’s attorneys agreed that “should the parties prove unable to obtain funding,” they would jointly ask the Texas Supreme Court to resume the case.
With two months left in the legislative session, there’s still plenty of time for lawmakers to change their minds, but it’s a touchy subject.More than a dozen Republican leaders declined or did not respond to interview requests on the topic this week, including appropriations chairs Sen. Joan Huffman of Houston and Rep. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood.
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