Texas attorney general took gift while investigating company
Source: Austin American-Statesman and Associated Press
Texas attorney general took gift while investigating company
PAUL J. WEBER The Associated Press
1:09 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2016 | Filed in: State
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under indictment on felony charges of duping investors in a tech startup, accepted $100,000 for his criminal defense from the head of a medical imaging provider while his office investigated the company for Medicaid fraud.
Dallas-based Preferred Imaging LLC settled a $3.5 million whistleblower lawsuit in a case handled by the U.S. Justice Department and Paxton’s Texas Civil Medicaid Fraud Division, the head of which co-signed the agreement in June. ... Paxton spokesman Marc Rylander said Tuesday federal prosecutors took the lead on the case and that the attorney general had no personal involvement. James Webb, the president of Preferred Imaging who gave Paxton the donation, did not immediately return an email and phone message.
The donation underscores the potential conflicts that Paxton, a Republican, is navigating as Texas’ top prosecutor while the state prosecutes him on two counts of felony securities fraud. He has pleaded not guilty. ... Ethics and legal experts say Paxton’s accepting the money while his office investigated Webb’s company was not a clear violation of Texas’ loose ethics laws. But they said the donation at least had the appearance of conflict.
Webb is the most generous supporter of Paxton’s legal defense, covering nearly one-third of the $330,000 that two dozen people donated last year. Paxton cannot use taxpayer dollars or campaign funds to pay for his criminal case, and is instead using an exemption under Texas bribery law that allows gifts to public servants when there is a “personal, professional, or business relationship” that is independent of their official duties.
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Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber
Read more: http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/texas/texas-attorney-general-took-gift-while-investigati/nr5Rh/
There are many links for this story, but most are based on the article that was sent out over the AP wire. Most likely, Paul Weber works for the Austin American-Statesman.
I'm changing my source from the Washington Post to the Austin American-Statesman. The articles match word for word, as near as I can tell, but I try to get as close to the original source as I can. Hang on....
By Paul J. Weber?|?AP
July 26 at 2:12 PM
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under indictment on felony charges of duping investors in a tech startup, accepted $100,000 for his criminal defense from the head of a medical imaging provider while his office investigated the company for Medicaid fraud.
Dallas-based Preferred Imaging LLC settled a $3.5 million whistleblower lawsuit in a case handled by the U.S. Justice Department and Paxton’s Texas Civil Medicaid Fraud Division, the head of which co-signed the agreement in June. ... Paxton spokesman Marc Rylander said Tuesday federal prosecutors took the lead on the case and that the attorney general had no personal involvement. James Webb, the president of Preferred Imaging who gave Paxton the donation, did not immediately return an email and phone message.
The donation underscores the potential conflicts that Paxton, a Republican, is navigating as Texas’ top prosecutor while the state prosecutes him on two counts of felony securities fraud. He has pleaded not guilty. ... Ethics and legal experts say Paxton’s accepting the money while his office investigated Webb’s company was not a clear violation of Texas’ loose ethics laws. But they said the donation at least had the appearance of conflict.
Webb is the most generous supporter of Paxton’s legal defense, covering nearly one-third of the $330,000 that two dozen people donated last year. Paxton cannot use taxpayer dollars or campaign funds to pay for his criminal case, and is instead using an exemption under Texas bribery law that allows gifts to public servants when there is a “personal, professional, or business relationship” that is independent of their official duties.
....
Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Gratuitous red meat:
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Ken Paxton files injunction against federal guidances protecting trans students
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