Skip to main content

Texas Supreme Court rejects Ken Paxton bid to dismiss whistleblower suit

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Supreme Court Denies Attorney General Ken Paxton's Motion to Dismiss Whistleblower Suit

The lawsuit brought forward by four senior staffers who reportedly lost their jobs for revealing questionable actions by Paxton to the FBI, will return for further proceedings at the Travis County trial court.

Unimpeded Whistleblower Lawsuit

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of four previous higher-ranking deputies of Attorney General Ken Paxton, consequently permitting their whistleblower lawsuit to proceed incessantly.

Notably, the Republican majority Supreme Court this past Friday declined a motion presented by Paxton to dismiss the lawsuit, which had previously been in abeyance awaiting a potential settlement with the whistleblowers. The court's decision fell a mere four days after the whistleblowers appealed for the reinstatement of the case.

The case is now set to return to a Travis County trial court. The legal representatives of the whistleblowers in a statement announced, "We are eagerly awaiting to set a trial date and commence preparations for trial immediately."

Details of the Lawsuit

In 2020, the whistleblowers filed a lawsuit against the attorney general's office alleging wrongful termination and retaliation subsequent to their disclosure to the FBI, accusing Paxton of exploiting his office to benefit a friend and donor, Nate Paul. They were on the verge of attaining a $3.3 million settlement with the attorney general's office earlier this year, however, the lawsuit's claims triggered a probe by Texas House investigators who had qualms regarding the usage of taxpayer funds for the settlement and consequently suggested the impeachment of Paxton.

After Monday's announcement by the whistleblowers requesting for the revival of their case following the acquittal of Paxton, Blake Brickman, a whistleblower, declared, "The political trial has concluded and it's time for the case to return to a legitimate court".

Paxton's office refrained from commenting on the press conference, merely stating that its legal response would ensue in court. However, as of the ruling on Friday, they had evidently not submitted a counter-response.

The State of Whistleblower Act

The four plaintiffs in the lawsuit are former deputies under Paxton, namely Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, David Maxwell, and Mark Penley, who also testified as prosecution witnesses at Paxton's impeachment trial.

The Supreme Court refrained from offering an explanation for its ruling, only acknowledging the denial of Paxton's petition for review. Early in 2022, the lawsuit reached the Texas Supreme Court after statewide appeals and trial courts turned down Paxton agency's pretrial bids to dismiss the case.

The Texas Whistleblower Act safeguards state workers from regress by fellow employees due to revealing potential crimes to law enforcement. Paxton's defense contends that their right to fire employees "at will" was exercised appropriately and the whistleblower laws were inapplicable as Paxton, an elected official, was not a 'public employee'."

Paxton office's appeal to the Supreme Court stated, "Like the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and members of this Court, he is an elected officer, chosen by the people of Texas to exercise sovereign authority on their behalf". As of Friday's ruling, Paxton's office has yet to respond with a comment.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chicago migrants crammed on sidewalk with belongings after being locked out of police station

Chicago Migrants Evicted from Police Station, Gathered on Local Streets with Belongings In an unexpected turn of events on Wednesday, migrants were seen congregating on a bustling side street outside a police station in Chicago, surrounded by their personal items. This came after they were reportedly instructed to evacuate the building where they were being sheltered. Eviction from Police Station Causes Chaos Confirmed by several eyewitness accounts, a throng of migrants, alongside their mattresses, furnishings, carpets, and other personal items, found themselves cramped on the sidewalk outside 1st District police station located near 17th and State streets, Chicago. The doors to the police station were sealed shut, leaving the building's lobby desolate. Fox News Digital had contacted the Chicago Police Department and city officials in an attempt to elucidate the situation, with no response received at the time of reporting. Resettlement Challenges in the Wake o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Half the village is gone': Ukraine hamlet reels after missile strike

Tiny Ukrainian Village Loses Half Its Residents in Shocking Missile Attack A Heavy Loss in Hroza Residents of the small Ukrainian village of Hroza were met with devastation on October 6th, after a missile strike tragically ended the lives of at least 52 people. Aiming to honour a deceased soldier in a local cafe, the villagers were unsuspecting of the horror about to unfold in one of the deadliest attacks in 20 months of tumult. Shock Gives Way to Grief The sorrow was unimaginable as residents strived to make sense of the horrors that had befallen their close-knit community. Grieving over the loss of his 36 year-old daughter, Olya, as well as her husband, Valeriy Kozyr could only express his wish to have died in their stead. The sight of his grandchildren, now orphans at the ages of 10,15 and 17 only intensified the pain. A Funeral In Uncertain Times Preparations for funerals were in the process amidst the despair and shock. Three brothers mourned the loss of thei...
Post a Comment
Read more

Missouri teacher on leave after boss finds OnlyFans account she runs with hubby: report

Missouri Educator Under Investigation for OnlyFans Activities In an unexpected turn of events, a high school teacher from Missouri was suspended after the school district's administrators discovered her involvement in an explicit OnlyFans profile. Brianna Coppage, an educator from St. Clair School District, alongside her husband, purportedly operates the adult content channel. The Unexpected Discovery The online storm started when chatter concerning the controversial account spread across the community, leading to a full-scale investigation by the St. Clair School District into the activities of Briana Coppage, a 28-year-old English teacher. The revelation of the account was akin to a dark cloud looming, and according to Coppage, it was inevitable. "I always had this feeling of uncertainty, knowing any day could be the day of discovery," Coppage told a local news outlet. "About two weeks ago, word got out, and I knew the storm was approaching....
Post a Comment
Read more