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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, agreed to pay almost $300,000 in restitution on Tuesday below a deal minimize with federal prosecutors to terminate fraud expenses which were leveraged in opposition to him for 9 years. Paxton had pleaded not responsible.
Prosecutors introduced the choice in a Houston courtroom simply weeks earlier than Paxton was set to face trial, the place he might have confronted 99 years in jail if discovered responsible.
Paxton’s lawyer, Dan Cogdell, informed Fox News Digital following the announcement that “the state finally realized that they could not prove the charges and simply made us an offer that I could not in good faith advise my client to turn down.”
“Anytime a prosecutor offers clear path to have all the charges against a client of mine dismissed, I am going to recommend they take that path. Only a fool would do otherwise,” he stated.
EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON
Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton, middle, sits together with his attorneys Dan Cogdell, proper, and Tony Buzbee, left, throughout his impeachment trial within the Senate Chamber on the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News by way of AP, Pool)
Cogdell stated in a press convention Tuesday that Paxton is “happy to comply with the agreement” and avoid a federal trial.
“We’re glad to have this behind us. Eighteen months from now, or perhaps shorter, the case will be dismissed. There will never be a conviction, and Ken Paxton, at least today, can begin to go back and do what he should have been doing all along and that is representing the state of Texas.”
“This was a case we knew in fact from the beginning they couldn’t prove … on year nine, we still know they couldn’t prove,” Cogdell stated. “You don’t go to trial to prove your innocence, the Constitution says the exact opposite of that.”
TEXAS AG PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT CHARGES: ‘THE TRUTH PREVAILED’
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
In July 2015, earlier than he grew to become the state’s prime regulation enforcement officer, Paxton was indicted on expenses of allegedly deceptive and defrauding rich tech startup traders and failing to disclose that the startup was paying him to promote its property.
A Texas grand jury indicted Paxton on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and a cost of not registering. Paxton was additionally fined in 2014 for not disclosing to Texas securities regulators that he was getting commissions for soliciting traders.
The exterior of the Texas State Capitol is seen on Sept. 5, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The deal that will get Paxton off the hook, which requires him to pay full restitution to victims and full 100 group service hours and 15 hours of authorized schooling courses, is the second authorized victory for the AG in latest months.
In September 2023, Paxton was acquitted of all impeachment articles filed in opposition to him for corruption and unfitness for workplace. He had confronted accusations that he misused his political energy to assist actual property developer Nate Paul — allegations that stemmed from a lawsuit filed by 4 former staff who reported him to the FBI.
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Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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