Austin, Texas – A district court in Travis County has ordered a $6.6 million payment to four former aides of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The ruling compensates them for wrongful termination after they accused Paxton of misconduct and reported him to the FBI.
The whistleblowers, Blake Brickman, David Maxwell, Mark Penley, and Ryan Vassar, had alerted federal authorities on October 1, 2020, about potential abuses of office by Paxton. By mid-November of the same year, all four had been dismissed from their positions.
Judge Catherine Mauzy concluded that the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated the plaintiffs were terminated in retaliation for their accusations. Mauzy’s judgment emphasized that the reports made by Paxton’s former aides to the FBI were done “in good faith.”
These allegations partly centered around accusations that Paxton had misused his office to benefit Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, a political donor, allegedly in exchange for favors. Further complicating the scandal, Paul employed a woman purportedly involved in an extramarital affair with Paxton. Nevertheless, Paxton has consistently refuted claims that he accepted bribes or inappropriately used his office to assist Paul.
Regarding the legal proceedings, Paxton’s office did not challenge the authenticity of the claims or the damages stated in the lawsuit, thereby simplifying the judicial process leading to the final judgment.
In response to the court’s decision, Paxton criticized the ruling as “ridiculous” and asserted that it was “not based on the facts or the law.” He announced plans to appeal the decision.
This legal battle came in the wake of inquiries by federal officials, which were initiated after eight of Paxton’s employees reported his office to the FBI in 2020 over similar bribery allegations. Despite Paxton’s initial move to settle the complaints for $3.3 million—a sum to be covered by the legislature—the Texas House of Representatives dismissed his request and launched an independent investigation.
Paxton faced impeachment proceedings in the Texas House in 2023, where he was ultimately acquitted in the Senate.
The controversy surrounding the attorney general underscores a tortuous period marked by allegations, political infighting, and legal confrontations, reflecting broader concerns about the abuse of power within high offices.
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