AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott named a Fort Worth attorney to fill in as Texas attorney general while Ken Paxton faces an impeachment trial.
Abbott installed John Scott to the prominent post on Wednesday but made no comment about the GOP-led House decision to impeach the state’s top lawyer over alleged corruption.
“His decades of experience and expertise in litigation will help guide him while serving as the state’s top law enforcement officer,” the governor said in a written statement.
This is not Scott’s first assignment for Abbott.
Scott served as the Texas Secretary of State during the 2022 primaries and midterm election as the state implemented a sweeping election bill that came about in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s election loss.
Scott’s time as secretary of state was defined by the implementation of the new election laws that created tumult in local election offices as workers fretted over provisions that would have them charged with a crime if they solicited a voter to cast a ballot by mail. The primaries especially were marred with thousands of mail-in ballots turned away because of confusing new voter ID requirements.
Scott himself served a role in Trump’s fight to over the election, briefly representing the former president in a suit to overturn election results in Pennsylvania. He later said he believed that Joe Biden won the election but courted some controversy with his praise of a widely debunked film alleging voter fraud in the 2022 election.
Scott was appointed secretary of state in the interim between legislative sessions, allowing him to serve in the post for more than a year without ever being confirmed by the Senate. He resigned at the end of 2022 and defended local election officials in his resignation letter.
Scott previously worked under Abbott when the Republican served as attorney general, and also served as chief operating officer of the Health and Human Services Commission and chair of the board for the Department of Information Resources.
This year, he was registered as a lobbyist with clients that included a military technology company, a Frisco anti-abortion organization and South Texas College.
In a statement, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said Scott had “dark, anti-democratic values” that he hope he’d leave behind as interim attorney general.
“We also pray he rejects the far-right, extremist, authoritarian notions of his now-impeached predecessor — not to mention his open, rank corruption — but we aren’t holding our breath,” Hinojosa added.
Paxton is suspended from duties pending a trial in the Senate, whose members will decide whether to remove him from the job. The GOP-led House voted to impeach Paxton for alleged bribery, abuse of office and a host of other misdeeds.
First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster sent a letter to agency staff last week noting he would lead the agency in Paxton’s stead. The governor has the power to appoint an interim agency head as impeachment proceedings play out and decided to do so in this case.
Paxton, a third-term Republican, called the probe an illegal attempt to thwart the will of voters. Last week, his office delivered a thick stack of documents to senators’ offices that included a defense of Paxton, according to members who received the packets and a copy obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Among the documents was letter from Webster that was openly critical of the House and said senators are in an “unenviable position.”
The impeachment trial will begin sometime before Aug. 28.
"general" - Google News
June 01, 2023 at 02:57AM
https://ift.tt/YN24VZq
After Ken Paxton impeached, Texas governor names Fort Worth lawyer interim AG - The Dallas Morning News
"general" - Google News
https://ift.tt/wjWmOMY
https://ift.tt/gx13Ob8
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "After Ken Paxton impeached, Texas governor names Fort Worth lawyer interim AG - The Dallas Morning News"
Post a Comment