The State Bar of Texas has decided to cease its efforts to impose disciplinary actions against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton related to claims that his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results constituted professional misconduct.
This announcement, made public through court documents on Wednesday, wraps up a prolonged investigation into whether Paxton’s false assertions of fraud during his legal challenges to Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over Republican incumbent Donald Trump warranted sanctions.
This decision follows a recent ruling by the Texas Supreme Court, which stated that Paxton’s top deputy could not face penalties for similar allegations. The state bar’s disciplinary committee referred to this December ruling as a key reason for withdrawing its case against Paxton.
A representative of the State Bar of Texas remained tight-lipped on the issue, declining to comment, while representatives for Paxton did not respond promptly to requests for statements.
Paxton has consistently labeled the allegations against him as unfounded and politically driven.
The disciplinary board previously accused Paxton of presenting false fraud claims to the U.S. Supreme Court in his lawsuit aimed at challenging the election results. The bar association initiated its legal action against him in 2022, stating its intent to address his conduct as an attorney rather than as an elected official.
The complaint from the state bar alleged that Paxton had “misrepresented” facts to the Supreme Court in a bid to negate Biden’s victory. This legal challenge, which received backing from Trump, was ultimately dismissed by the high court.
The range of potential disciplinary measures by the state bar could involve anything from a simple warning to suspension or disbarment.
These possible sanctions added to the existing legal challenges faced by Paxton. Last year, he settled allegations concerning criminal securities fraud, and in 2023, the Texas Senate acquitted him of various corruption charges during an impeachment trial.
