DOJ prosecutors in DC take over corruption probe into Texas attorney general

Justice Division prosecutors in Washington, DC, have taken over the corruption investigation into Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton.

State prosecutor Kent Schaffer, who’s individually investigating Paxton, advised CNN in an interview that the Justice Division notified him of the change. The yearslong corruption investigation had, till now, been underneath the management of federal prosecutors in Texas.

The current takeover by federal prosecutors at Justice Division headquarters in Washington is the newest growth within the investigation of the Texas lawyer basic, which was initiated after a number of aides accused Paxton of bribery, abuse of workplace and different doubtlessly legal offenses in 2020. It additionally comes simply days after Paxton agreed to a tentative $3.3 million settlement with 4 of the aides who made the general public accusation.

Paxton has repeatedly denied allegations of wrongdoing. In a press release to CNN after the settlement was introduced final week, Paxton stated he had “chosen this path” to “put this challenge to relaxation.”

The investigation will now be dealt with by the Justice Division’s Public Integrity Part, in accordance with Schaffer. The Public Integrity Part handles excessive profile prosecutions of presidency officers, together with in circumstances of bribery and corruption.

It’s not clear what prompted the transfer to interchange the federal prosecutors in Texas on the case.

A Justice Division spokesperson declined to remark.

Paxton’s lawyer Dan Cogdell advised The Related Press, which first reported the event, that he had beforehand requested for prosecutors from the Western District of Texas to be off the case as a result of that they had “an apparent battle,” however that he had not personally been notified of the transfer. Cogdell didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from CNN.

CNN has additionally reached out to Paxton’s workplace for remark.

In an interview with CNN, Schaffer stated that “there is no such thing as a motive on the planet that [the Texas prosecutors] couldn’t have continued with the prosecution.” He stated he worries “Ken Paxton has dedicated against the law … and he gained’t should reply for it.”

He continued: “This cat’s obtained 9 lives, and it seems to be like he’s used up about seven or eight of them.”