Difference between revisions of "Ken Paxton"
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| − | '''Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr.''', known as '''Ken Paxton''' (born December 23, 1962), is an [[United States|American]] [[lawyer]] and [[politician]] who has been since January 2015 the [[Republican Party|Republican]] attorney general of his adopted state of [[Texas]]. | + | '''Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr.''', known as '''Ken Paxton''' (born December 23, 1962), is an [[United States|American]] [[lawyer]] and [[politician]] who has been since January 2015 the [[Republican Party|Republican]] attorney general of his adopted state of [[Texas]]. He was born in Minot, [[North Dakota]], to a military family that lived at times in five states. He graduated from [[Baylor University]] in [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], Texas, and the [[University of Virginia]] School of Law in Charlottesville, [[Virginia]]. |
| − | Paxton won election as attorney general | + | In 2014, Paxton won election as attorney general with support from [[conservative]]s and the [[Tea Party Movement]]. In the Republican primary, he defeated state Representative Dan H. Branch of [[Dallas]], a director of the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies at [[Southern Methodist University]], named for [[John Tower]], Texas first popularly-elected Republican senator, who began his career as a staunch conservative but is now considered an icon of [[Moderate Republican]]s. |
Before he became attorney general, Paxton previously served for ten years in the Texas House of Representatives and two years in the Texas Senate, representing Collin County, north of Dallas. He resides with his wife, Angela, who is also his political advisor, in McKinney in Collin County. | Before he became attorney general, Paxton previously served for ten years in the Texas House of Representatives and two years in the Texas Senate, representing Collin County, north of Dallas. He resides with his wife, Angela, who is also his political advisor, in McKinney in Collin County. | ||
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As attorney general, Paxton has fought to keep alive from federal court challenges the state laws requiring voter identification, the abolition of [[sanctuary cities]], religious freedom, and the current congressional districting plan, which Democrats claim is skewed in favor of Republicans. | As attorney general, Paxton has fought to keep alive from federal court challenges the state laws requiring voter identification, the abolition of [[sanctuary cities]], religious freedom, and the current congressional districting plan, which Democrats claim is skewed in favor of Republicans. | ||
| − | Paxton's trial | + | Paxton's trial was scheduled to have begun on December 11, 2017, coincidentally the last day that he could file as a candidate for re-nomination in the Republican primary on March 6, 2018. If convicted, he could face huge fines and 99 years imprisonment.<ref name=december/> However, the trial has yet to begin. |
Paxton also faces an expanded probe by the state into his $546,700 defense fund, contributions of which have come mainly from family friends. The state has not reveal what it has found in this probe.<ref>Andrea Zelinski, "Prosecutors' AG probe expands: Paxton's legal defense fund under scrutiny, federal judge is told," ''San Antonio Express-News,'' October 6, 2017, pp. A3-A4.</ref> | Paxton also faces an expanded probe by the state into his $546,700 defense fund, contributions of which have come mainly from family friends. The state has not reveal what it has found in this probe.<ref>Andrea Zelinski, "Prosecutors' AG probe expands: Paxton's legal defense fund under scrutiny, federal judge is told," ''San Antonio Express-News,'' October 6, 2017, pp. A3-A4.</ref> | ||
| − | + | In 2017, Paxton came to [[Laredo]] to investigate city and county efforts toward border security. He indicated that he was impressed by the coordination among law enforcement agencies" "So often you see turf battle among different law enforcement groups ... and it seems like here the state is very engaged ... but so are all the local officials and the federal officials. So the cooperation is about as good as I've ever seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/local/politics/article/Texas-Attorney-General-Ken-Paxton-visits-Laredo-12238147.php|title=Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton visits Laredo for first time since taking office|author=Julia Wallace|publisher=''Laredo Morning Times''|date=September 28, 2017|accessdate=February 16, 2018}}</ref> | |
| − | Mrs. Paxton has announced her candidacy for the Texas State Senate District 8 seat being vacated by Republican Van Taylor of [[Plano]], who is instead running in 2018 for Texas' 3rd congressional district seat in [[United States House of Representatives]]. The U.S. House seat opened with the pending retirement of long-term Republican incumbent Sam Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/06/angela-paxton-attorney-generals-wife-running-state-senate/|title=Angela Paxton, Texas attorney general's wife, running for state Senate|date=September 6, 2017|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=October 7, 2017}}</ref> | + | Mrs. Paxton has announced her candidacy for the Texas State Senate District 8 seat being vacated by Republican Van Taylor of [[Plano]], who is instead running in 2018 for Texas' 3rd congressional district seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. The U.S. House seat opened with the pending retirement of long-term Republican incumbent Sam Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/06/angela-paxton-attorney-generals-wife-running-state-senate/|title=Angela Paxton, Texas attorney general's wife, running for state Senate|date=September 6, 2017|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=October 7, 2017}}</ref> |
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 20:36, February 16, 2018
| Warren Kenneth "Ken" Paxton, Jr. | |
51st Attorney General of Texas
| |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Greg Abbott |
|---|---|
Texas State Senator for District 8 (Collin County)
| |
| In office January 2013 – January 4, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Florence Shapiro |
| Succeeded by | Van Taylor |
Texas State Representative for
District 70 (Collin County) | |
| In office January 2003 – January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | David Counts |
| Succeeded by | Scott Sanford |
| Born | December 23, 1962 Minot, North Dakota, USA |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Angela Paxton |
| Alma mater | Baylor University University of Virginia School of Law |
| Religion | Christianity |
Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr., known as Ken Paxton (born December 23, 1962), is an American lawyer and politician who has been since January 2015 the Republican attorney general of his adopted state of Texas. He was born in Minot, North Dakota, to a military family that lived at times in five states. He graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In 2014, Paxton won election as attorney general with support from conservatives and the Tea Party Movement. In the Republican primary, he defeated state Representative Dan H. Branch of Dallas, a director of the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies at Southern Methodist University, named for John Tower, Texas first popularly-elected Republican senator, who began his career as a staunch conservative but is now considered an icon of Moderate Republicans.
Before he became attorney general, Paxton previously served for ten years in the Texas House of Representatives and two years in the Texas Senate, representing Collin County, north of Dallas. He resides with his wife, Angela, who is also his political advisor, in McKinney in Collin County.
During much of his tenure as attorney general, Paxton has been sidetracked by personal legal matters. He faces a fraud trial in Houston in December 2017 for having allegedly failed to inform those investing in the technology firm Servergy that he was receiving a commission on sales. At the time, Paxton was still a member of the Texas House of Representatives. The case will be presided over by a Democratic judge, Robert Johnson.[1] Meanwhile, a Security and Exchange Commission complaint against Paxton has been twice dismissed, most recently in March 2017, on the grounds that the attorney general had "no plausible legal duty" to inform investors that he would earn a commission if they purchased stock in a technical company that Paxton represented.[2]
As attorney general, Paxton has fought to keep alive from federal court challenges the state laws requiring voter identification, the abolition of sanctuary cities, religious freedom, and the current congressional districting plan, which Democrats claim is skewed in favor of Republicans.
Paxton's trial was scheduled to have begun on December 11, 2017, coincidentally the last day that he could file as a candidate for re-nomination in the Republican primary on March 6, 2018. If convicted, he could face huge fines and 99 years imprisonment.[2] However, the trial has yet to begin.
Paxton also faces an expanded probe by the state into his $546,700 defense fund, contributions of which have come mainly from family friends. The state has not reveal what it has found in this probe.[3]
In 2017, Paxton came to Laredo to investigate city and county efforts toward border security. He indicated that he was impressed by the coordination among law enforcement agencies" "So often you see turf battle among different law enforcement groups ... and it seems like here the state is very engaged ... but so are all the local officials and the federal officials. So the cooperation is about as good as I've ever seen."[4]
Mrs. Paxton has announced her candidacy for the Texas State Senate District 8 seat being vacated by Republican Van Taylor of Plano, who is instead running in 2018 for Texas' 3rd congressional district seat in the United States House of Representatives. The U.S. House seat opened with the pending retirement of long-term Republican incumbent Sam Johnson.[5]
References
- ↑ Cindy George and Andrea Zelinski (July 27, 2017). Texas AG Paxton to stand trial in December, judge rules. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved on October 1, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Andrea Zelinski, "Paxton's SEC charge dismissed: No 'legal duty' to disclose commission," San Antonio Express-News, March 3, 2017, p. A3.
- ↑ Andrea Zelinski, "Prosecutors' AG probe expands: Paxton's legal defense fund under scrutiny, federal judge is told," San Antonio Express-News, October 6, 2017, pp. A3-A4.
- ↑ Julia Wallace (September 28, 2017). Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton visits Laredo for first time since taking office. Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved on February 16, 2018.
- ↑ Angela Paxton, Texas attorney general's wife, running for state Senate. The Texas Tribune (September 6, 2017). Retrieved on October 7, 2017.
