McKINNEY, Texas—Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was booked Monday on securities fraud charges accusing him of misleading investors in a tech startup, including a state lawmaker, before he took office in January.
Paxton, a 52-year-old Republican, was fingerprinted and photographed at the Collin County jail while a throng of media waited outside. It was a frenzy reminiscent of a year ago, when then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry—who was also still in office—was booked after being indicted on charges of abusing his power with a 2013 veto.
But whereas Perry defiantly welcomed the cameras within minutes of being processed at an Austin jail, Paxton ducked reporters while leaving the Collin County jail on bond. Paxton’s attorney, Joe Kendall, issued a statement hours later in which he said Paxton will plead not guilty and demand a jury trial.
“He is looking forward to the opportunity to tell his side of the story in the courtroom,” said Kendall, adding that they were instructed by a judge to not comment further.
Other top Texas Republicans have also remained silent, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who last held the attorney general job, and Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican presidential candidate and the state’s one-time solicitor general.
The Texas GOP released a statement saying that Paxton deserved his say in court and praised his first seven months on the job, including his recent investigation of Planned Parenthood.
“There’s a reason why Texans have warily observed this news. Some of the outrageous events surrounding this sloppy process certainly do not typify the level of quality that Texans expect from our judicial system,” party spokesman Aaron Whitehead said in a statement.
Just as Perry was allowed to finish his term after his indictment, Paxton can stay on the job while his criminal case proceeds. However, some are already calling for him to resign, including several Democratic Party officials who were among a small group of protesters demonstrating on the courthouse steps on Monday.
