Texas AG Ken Paxton talks to a campaign donor about text threats

AUSTIN – A few days after his top staff accused him of abusing his office to help a friend and donor, the Dallas Morning News reported that Austin police have launched an investigation into a report by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. A Paxton spokesman said the texts came from Brian Hortman. Hortman, a fellow Republican, is embroiled in a legal battle with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, whose relationship with Foxton has sparked false accusations against the Attorney General. Hortman sent a picture and message to Paxton of a dead animal that had recently been shot. “Stay away from Nate Paul,” said the developer’s lawyer, adding that adding texts is tantamount to obvious threats and harassment. But Hortman has a completely different account of what happened. Through a lawyer, Hartman confirmed he was texting Paxton, but said the messages he sent in October were not threatening. Hortman’s lawyer said he and Paxton were friends who occasionally exchanged photos of deer they had hunted. A Paxton spokesman declined to comment further, saying only that Hortman’s account “leaves out significant facts and context.” Copies of the news bulletin were not found, but Hardman reviewed photos he said were sent to Paxton last month. The conflict was the latest twist in a scandal that alienated Paxton from members of his own party and landed him at the crossroads of federal officials. Paxton’s relationship with Paul is the subject of an FBI investigation. Several former employees who were fired after raising concerns about the two men’s relationship have filed a lawsuit against Cory Paxton seeking retaliation. Now, Hoxman has accused Paxton of threatening to sever ties with Paul. This week, federal agents worked in at least one chaplain in the attorney general’s office, according to The Austin-American Statesman. As President Donald Trump seeks to overturn election results in the four major war-torn states, Paxton’s own legal issues are as complex as he’s attracted national attention. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Paxton’s case. According to a report in The Austin Police Department to The News, Boxton received several text messages shortly after 10:00 pm on October 11. He did not see them until the next day because the attorney general “did not check his text messages frequently,” the report added. “The police corrected the name of the person who sent the texts and any interpretation of their contents. Investigation.” Paxton said he received what he described as “threatening text messages.” The report said, “Paxton took these threats seriously.” Hortman was fired by a lawyer representing businesses and asked if he had recently texted the Attorney General about Paul, who said, “I’m here two weeks ago. I did. The Attorney General and I are good friends. He changed the texts, he killed photos of different deer or I have them, ”Hortman said. “A week or two ago I sent him a picture of a friend of one of my daughters who killed a big deer. I sent it to him and said, ‘Do you know what you think about this?’ I asked. “Later, Hartman added the following warning:” Be careful about Nate Paul. “Earlier this year, Paul charged 11 people with plotting to seize millions of dollars in his real estate shares. Paul filed a lawsuit against Travis County District Attorney last year alleging that federal and state officials violated his rights when the FBI raided his home. He had already lodged another complaint with local attorneys, claiming that the district attorney had refused to pursue the requests and instead sent them to Paxton’s agency with the attorney general’s approval. He said the charges were ineligible and opposed bringing in external advisers to investigate them, including staffing the then second-in-command of Paxton. Went on to accuse Paxton of abusing the power of his office to help Paul. Travis County D.A. After Margaret Moore criticized her handling, Paxton dropped the investigation into her allegations. He vowed not to inquire into any issues. This year Paxton has personally intervened at least four times in legal matters before his company, which Paul personally involved or assisted. Experts told The News that the personal involvement of the state’s attorney general was extraordinary and unethical. Paxton denied any wrongdoing, saying he had intervened on behalf of Paul to protect the rights of a Texas citizen. Paxton fired five employees who raised concerns; Three more resigned. Four people are now suing the attorney general, claiming he retaliated against them for raising legitimate concerns about bribery and abuse of office. That case continues. The full extent of the relationship between Paxton and Paul is not clear. Sources told Paul that Paul donated $ 25,000 to Paxton’s re-election campaign in 2018, and that Paul hired a woman who had an extramarital affair with Paxton. The radical Christian conservative married a state senator in Paxton. The Associated Press reports that the FBI is currently investigating Paul & Paxton’s relationship. Paxton also faces charges of unrelated state bond fraud prior to 2015. Paul, who has been battling foreclosure over several properties, continues to fight in court with debtors like Hortman. In a lawsuit filed in court last month, Hortman accused a lawyer representing one of Paul’s businesses of sending texts to encourage the attorney general to investigate Paul’s allegations. “Incredibly, Hortman even sought out the obvious threats and harassment of a high-ranking government official. Encourage him to investigate Hartman and his subsidiaries, ”wrote Mark Ralston. Details of the texts were also reported on a website called Southeast Texas Record, which is said to be part of a network that pays for a website. One of Paul’s other lawyers, Michael Wayne, sent a letter to the attorney’s office on November 17. It is not clear how Paul, Ralston and Vine discovered Hortman’s text messages. No lawyer has responded to The News’ request for comment. Boxton’s campaign spokesman Ian Pryor has refused to release a copy of the news to The News. He confirmed the texts mentioned by Paul’s lawyers and a Paxton report to the police. “After receiving [the texts]The attorney general was concerned, “said Briar. “He personally reported those concerns to the Austin Police Department.” He had previously confirmed that these texts came from Hortman. Hortman has a completely different interpretation of what happened. Hortman, a Republican donor who owns several car dealerships in Austin and Rio Grande Valley, told News through his lawyer that a photo he sent to Paxton that day in October showed a rupee recently shot by a family friend. “Mr. Both Hortman and the Attorney General love deer hunting. As part of their friendship, Mr. Hortman and Mr. The Paxtons will exchange photos of their deer hunting successes. Attorney General or Mr. It’s ridiculous that someone else said Hortman threatened the attorney general, ”lawyer Randy Howry said in a statement. Hartman supported Paxton politically, Howry added. According to state campaign records, Hortman hosted a fundraising event for Paxton in 2018 and raised $ 10,000 and sen. $ 5,000 was donated by Angela Paxton, the attorney general’s wife, in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Can’t remember the text he sent to Paxton and the exact photo he shared. He provided news copies of two photos, one of which was a photo he sent to Paxton in October, Hardman said. First shows a woman wearing a sunhot, smiling and posing with a cup buck. The other shows the same woman and the Cup Buck, with a smile on her face wearing a camouflage baby in Texas Longhorns. Hardyman also confirmed what he told Paxton to “be careful about Nate Ball.” This, too, should not be a threat, he said. “It simply came to our notice then. It was a warning to Paxton, not a threat to him in any way. ” Hortman was unaware of Paxton’s police report until news reached him earlier this month, his lawyer said; They have not been contacted by Austin Police or any other law enforcement agency regarding the matter. Austin Police have not responded to The News’ questions about why they did not question Hortomon or whether the investigation is still ongoing. Paxton spokesman Hortman left out key facts about his interpretation of the text but declined to comment further this week. “The matter is currently in the hands of the Austin Police Department,” Briar said.

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