AUSTIN, Texas — A Travis County judge has mandated the Texas Attorney General’s Office to compensate whistleblowers approximately $7 million. These former employees had accused the office’s head, Attorney General Ken Paxton, of legal violations, which they reported to the FBI.
The plaintiffs, initially terminated from their positions, contended that their dismissal was wrongful and a contravention of the Texas Whistleblower Act. Their legal challenge culminates in a court ruling that underscored the validity of their claims against the Attorney General’s Office.
The legal proceedings, which have stretched over four years, have finally tilted in the whistleblowers’ favor. The court established that their termination was indeed retaliation for reporting Paxton’s alleged unlawful conduct, affirming the plaintiffs’ accusations of violation under the whistleblower protection laws.
Specifically, the court statement elucidated that the Attorney General’s Office did not contest the whistleblowers’ lawsuit, effectively sidestepping any dispute over the facts of the claims or the extent of the damages awarded.
Representing two of the whistleblowers, attorneys Tom Nesbitt and TJ Turner voiced their approval of the ruling. They highlighted the prolonged legal battle and emphasized Paxton’s eventual admission of violating the law, specifically to evade testifying under oath. According to their statements, this legal acknowledgment by Paxton substantiates the allegations of malpractice that led to their clients’ wrongful termination.
Adding to the legal drama, shortly after the court’s decision, Paxton vehemently criticized the ruling and declared his intention to appeal. He attributed his impeachment by the Texas House — from which he was later acquitted by the Senate — to a conspiracy involving former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and the Biden administration. Paxton argued that the impeachment and subsequent legal challenges have financially burdened Texas taxpayers and denounced the judge’s decision as baseless.
In an emotional response, attorneys for the whistleblowers called upon the Texas Legislature to honor the court’s judgment by releasing funds to compensate their clients, portraying them as courageous public servants who suffered unjustly for upholding the law.
This case continues to unravel amid political tensions and legal disputes, shining a spotlight on the mechanisms of accountability within public offices and raising questions about the protection offered to those who expose governmental misconduct.
As this story develops, it underscores the ongoing debates surrounding whistleblower protection, governmental transparency, and the complexities of legal battles involving high-ranking officials.
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