S. TEXAS HOUSE, SENATE, MEMBERS CHOSEN FOR PAXTON CASE

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Various Sources

South Texas and Brownsville will be well represented on the Texas House prosecutorial managers team and on the Texas Senate panel that will hear their case and recommend on its rules of procedures during the trial for Texas Attorney Genera Kenneth Paxton, according to reports by the Texas Tribune and National Public Radio. 

South Texas members include Erin Gamez D-Brownsville, Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Oscar Longoria,  D-Mission; The other 10 managers are Reps. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; Joe Moody, D-El Paso; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; Morgan Meyer, R-University Park; Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park; Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, and David Spiller, R-Jacksboro.

Rep. Andrew Murr, a Junction Republican and chair of the board of impeachment manager, will manage the prosecution and Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, is the vice chair. Murr and Johnson are also the chair and vice chair of the House General Investigating Committee, which investigated Paxton and recommended his impeachment.

As for the Senate panel that will make recommendations on rules of procedure, it will be chaired by Sen. Brian, R-Granbury. Its vice chair is Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen. The other five members are Sens. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe; Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton; Joan Huffman, R-Houston; Phil King, R-Weatherford,  and Royce West, D-Dallas.

On Monday, the House announced the board of managers to handle the prosecution made up of seven Republicans and five Democrats. The group immediately left the House chamber to deliver the 20 articles of impeachment to the Senate.

Paxton and the former aides settled for $3.3 million and Paxton asked the Legislature to have the taxpayers foot that bill, which appears to have prompted the House investigation that resulted in his impeachment.

Bribery charges stem from Paul allegedly employing a woman with whom Paxton had an affair in exchange for legal help and Paul allegedly paying for renovations to Paxton’s home. Other charges date back to Paxton’s pending 2015 felony securities fraud case, including lying to state investigators.

Paxton told NPR that the charges are based on “hearsay and gossip, parroting long-disproven claims.”

But apart from Gamez, there is also another Brownsville connection, albeit a slight one involving Paul and his relationship with the Roy F. & JoAnn Cole Mitte Foundation of Austin. The Mitte Foundation runs the cultural district in Brownsville.

National Public Radio reported that allegations include attempts to interfere in foreclosure lawsuits, improperly issuing legal opinions to benefit real estate developer Nate Paul, and firing, harassing and interfering with whistleblowers on Paxton’s staff.

Paxton told NPR that the charges are based on “hearsay and gossip, parroting long-disproven claims.”

The article having to do with Paul and the Mitte Foundation is outlined in article 1.

ARTICLE 1 – Protection of charitable organization (Roy F. & JoAnn Cole Mitte Foundation)

Paxton is accused of failing to act as a public protector of charitable organizations by directing his employees in the attorney general’s office to intervene in a lawsuit brought by the Roy F. & JoAnn Cole Mitte Foundation against entities controlled by Paul, harming the Austin charity in an effort to benefit Paul, a wealthy donor.