Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton settled a nearly decade-long federal indictment this week after reaching a deal with prosecutors that will allow him to avoid a criminal trial and having to spend any time behind bars.
The New York Times reported that Paxton does not have to admit guilt as part of the agreement but must pay approximately $300,000 in restitution, take legal ethics courses, and perform community service.
“No judge can force a prosecutor to present evidence or call witnesses,” Judge Andrea Beall said in court on Tuesday. “This court does not have any say in this contract.”
While serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives in 2011, Paxton was accused of misleading investors “into putting money into a Dallas-area technology company without disclosing to them that he was making a commission on their investments,” the report said.
Paxton’s…
