Ranger Warns AG About ‘Crooked’ Donor

When protection counsel requested Vassar in regards to the response time on the Open Records Request, he couldn’t recall whether or not the deadline to challenge the opinion had been missed. Vassar testified on Day Three that the AG “asked us to find a way to release the information.” If they’d finished so, Vassar testified, “It would reverse decades of the law enforcement privilege.” Paxton reportedly mentioned he thought Nate Paul was being “railroaded” and expressed mistrust in legislation enforcement. Paul needed legislation enforcement to must launch info referring to his investigation, witnesses said.

Impeachment Article III fees that Ken Paxton abused the Open Records Process, disregarding his official responsibility. Specifically, “Paxton directed employees of his office to act contrary to law by refusing to render a proper decision relating to a public information request for records held by the Department of Public Safety and by issuing a decision involving another public information request that was contrary to law and applicable legal precedent.”

Vassar additionally testified that the unredacted FBI temporary was launched to Paul as a result of General Paxton directed them to launch it. “Paxton said he saw nothing that needed to be kept from Nate Paul,” Vassar testified. A lawyer on the OAG launched the temporary to a lawyer for Nate Paul, testimony revealed.

Paxton’s lawyer requested Vassar once more in regards to the OAG letterhead used with out General Paxton’s identify. Vassar responded, “It is not the only letterhead at the Office of Attorney General.” Little confirmed Vassar a number of paperwork with the AG’s identify on them, however Vassar has frequently testified that completely different letterheads are used within the workplace.

House “prosecutor” and well-known outstanding Houston legal professional Rusty Hardin examined Ryan Vassar on redirect. Vassar is the previous Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel. Breitbart Texas reported that on Day three of the proceedings, the daddy of 4 and former Supreme Court of Texas clerk turned tearful when requested about his response to Paxton’s calling his fellow whistleblowers “rogue employees.”

“The statement of being rogue is contrary to the years I dedicated my life to the State,” Vassar mentioned whereas wiping his eyes. He defined that he joined the whistleblower lawsuit for example to his youngsters and the folks he managed on the OAG.

Mr. Hardin cleaned up any confusion in regards to the variations within the varieties of authorized opinions and the method of issuing an Attorney General Opinion. Vassar mentioned that Paul’s lawyer used the casual opinion in courtroom inside days of its issuance in an try to cease foreclosures in the course of the COVID pandemic. Vassar mentioned he had by no means seen Paxton get entangled in drafting an opinion.

Hardin additionally clarified the notion attributable to Vassar’s prior testimony that he and colleagues introduced “no evidence” to the FBI after they reported Paxton. Vassar testified that his expertise of what had occurred was “evidence.” He referred to “our experiences” because the “cumulative knowledge” that high deputies had as a bunch. He “never viewed himself as an investigator.”

“I believed I was a witness to criminal activity that had occurred by General Paxton,” he said.

During the impeachment proceedings, all the House Impeachment Manager witnesses have testified that Paxton highjacked the assets of the Office of the Attorney General to profit a personal individual, in addition to profit a personal individual over the general public’s curiosity.

Article XVIII of the impeachment articles is a “catchall” that fees that “While holding office as attorney general, Warren Kenneth Paxton violated the Texas Constitution, his oaths of office, statutes, and public policy against public officials acting contrary to the public interest by engaging in acts described in one or more articles.” Article XVII fees, “Paxton misused his official powers by causing employees of his office to perform services for his benefit and the benefit of others.”

Houston lawyer and authorized analyst Chris Tritico informed Breitbart Texas, “The Texas Constitution bars and the Texas Penal Code makes it a crime for our government and our elected officials to use the public’s money and resources for the private gain of single citizens as opposed to the public good.” He added, “Violating these provisions can result in criminal sanctions and/or ethics charges up to removal from office.”

Former Harris County Republican Party Chairman and Houston protection lawyer Gary Polland informed Breitbart, “The resources of the State of Texas are not to be used to support a private interest lawsuit. This isn’t a hard concept to understand.”

Article III of the Texas Constitution, part 52(a) supplies, “Except as otherwise provided by this section, the Legislature shall have no power to authorize any county, city, town or other political corporation or subdivision of the State to lend its credit or to grant public money or thing of value in aid of, or to any individual, association or corporation whatsoever, or to become a stockholder in such corporation, association or company.”

Video archives of the impeachment proceedings might be discovered on the Texas Senate Impeachment web site. The articles of Impeachment, the Rules of Procedure for the Court of Impeachment, the witness listing, all motions filed by the House Board of Managers and Paxton’s protection staff, reveals, and different potential proof are posted on the Texas Senate Court of Impeachment web site.

Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton didn’t attend the impeachment proceedings in the course of the second, third, and fourth day of trial.

Lana Shadwick is a author and authorized analyst for Breitbart Texas. She is a trial lawyer who practices felony protection and household legislation in East Texas. She was a Texas prosecutor and household courtroom affiliate decide in Harris County, Texas.