New Texas secretary of state from Fort Worth was Trump lawyer in election challenge
An attorney from Fort Worth has been appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott as Texas Secretary of State, filling a months long vacancy after Ruth Hughs resigned in May.
His choice for the post as Texas’ chief elections officer is John Scott, who lives in Fort Worth and has offices in Austin, according to Abbott’s office. Scott represented former President Donald Trump in a legal challenge to the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania, but withdrew from the lawsuit.
He previously worked as deputy attorney general for civil litigation when Abbott served as Texas attorney general. After that, he served as the first chief operating officer of the Health and Human Services Commission. Scott has also served as chair of the board for the Department of Information Resources after he returned to private practice, according to Abbott’s office.
“John Scott is a proven leader with a passion for public service, and his decades of experience in election law and litigation make him the ideal choice for the Texas Secretary of State,” Abbott said in a statement. “John understands the importance of protecting the integrity of our elections and building the Texas brand on an international stage. I am confident that John’s experience and expertise will enhance his oversight and leadership over the biggest and most thorough election audit in the country. I am proud to appoint John as the Texas Secretary of State and look forward to working alongside him to ensure Texas remains the best state in the nation.”
A spokesperson for the Texas Secretary of State’s office said Scott was not available for an interview Thursday. State and federal officials have said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Scott will assume the office after an election audit was announced for Dallas, Harris, Collin and Tarrant Counties.
Scott’s a founding partner at Franklin Scott Conway, LLP, a firm that is based in Washington but has attorneys licensed in states across the country, including in Texas, according to its website.
Sen. Bryan Hughes, who authored an election bill that passed earlier this year that prohibits drive-thru and 24-hour voting, adds protections for partisan poll watchers and change laws related to voting by mail, serves as counsel at the firm. He also withdrew from the case involving Trump’s election challenge.
Court records show that Scott petitioned to be added to the case on Nov. 13, 2020, and withdrew from the case on Nov. 16. A motion to withdraw doesn’t elaborate on why he, Hughes and Philadelphia attorney Linda Kerns left the case, but does note that a “mutual agreement” was reached with Trump’s team.
Hughs, appointed in 2019, resigned effective May 31 after she was not confirmed by the Senate. Her predecessor, David Whitely, resigned in 2019 following controversy over a review of the citizenship status of nearly 100,000 voters. He too wasn’t confirmed by the Senate.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Chris Turner said Abbott’s latest choice for the office is “consistent with his anti-democracy agenda.” The Grand Prairie Democrat also criticized Abbott for waiting until the Legislature was not in session to make the appointment. Lawmakers wrapped up their third special session earlier this week.
“The governor had every opportunity to appoint a new Secretary of State during one of his many special sessions to allow the Texas Senate to hold a confirmation hearing,” Turner said in a statement. “Instead, he waited until the Legislature adjourned, denying Texans the fair and transparent process they deserve. The freedom to vote is a sacred right. Texans need a Secretary of State that will fight for and protect that right — and not undermine it for political gain.”
Scott has been an attorney for more than 30 years, according to Abbott’s office. His areas of practice include “administrative and public law, antitrust, business, consumer, environmental, healthcare, insurance, commercial litigation, personal injury litigation, oil, gas and energy resources, construction, public utility, finance, arbitration and contracts,” a bio on his website states.
This story was originally published October 21, 2021 at 9:51 AM.
