The plot thickens.
House impeachment managers detailed new accusations of an improper relationship between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Austin real estate investor Nate Paul, the Texas Tribune reported.
Paxton and Paul allegedly created an Uber account under a fake name so they could meet and so Paxton could visit the woman with whom he was having an affair. Paul already stands accused of hiring Paxton’s mistress, despite her having no real estate experience.
As Paxton and Paul’s relationship deepened, his aides grew concerned. They told the attorney general that Paul was a “crook” and that his claims of unfair treatment by law enforcement were bogus, House impeachment managers wrote in filings with the Texas Senate’s court of impeachment.
“Senior Staff urged Paxton to stay away. But when it came to Paul, Paxton was immune to reason,” the managers said.
After whistleblowers from Paxton’s inner circle reported the relationship to the FBI, Paxton allegedly worked to conceal his connection to Paul. Actions include wiring a payment to a company affiliated with Paul to hide renovations he had done on the attorney general’s home for free.
Paxton and Paul met at least 20 times in the spring and summer of 2020, sometimes to discuss the FBI’s investigation into Paul’s real estate firm, World Class Holdings, impeachment managers said.
Paxton’s defense has tried to downplay his relationship with Paul, calling it “a personal relationship with a constituent” and arguing that even if any actions were inappropriate, they happened before Paxton’s current term in office began — as they see it, he can’t be impeached for things he did before his most recent election.
Paul was arrested in June and indicted on eight counts of making false statements to lenders. When Paxton was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives in May, he was charged with bribery and abuse of power on behalf of Paul, among other misdeeds.
Paxton’s trial in the Senate begins in September, while Paul’s trial has been delayed a year due to the “enormous volume” of seized data both sides will need to comb through.
—Joe Lovinger
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