Paxton aide says AG is a target of a ‘political hit job’

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s camp fired back Thursday at the special prosecutors who have said they are preparing a felony case against him, calling them inexperienced prosecutors driven by politics.

“This appears to be a politically motivated effort to ruin the career of a longtime public servant,” Paxton spokesman Anthony Holm said in a statement that also accused the two attorneys of building their case in the press.

“These attacks on Ken Paxton appear to have become a political hit-job in the media, perhaps having the effect of inappropriately influencing the grand jury.”

Holm’s statement came the day after special prosecutor Kent Schaffer said he and co-counsel Brian Wice were “pursuing an indictment for first-degree felony securities fraud.”

Schaffer and Wice were appointed this year to handle any potential prosecution of Paxton stemming from his admission last year that he broke state securities law.

Holm said Thursday that neither Schaffer nor Wice have “significant prosecutorial experience,” adding that it appears only one case has been prosecuted between the two of them. Neither Schaffer nor Wice has worked as a prosecutor, but both have extensive backgrounds in criminal defense. Wice was on the team that defended former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, against corruption and money laundering charges.

“Not only do they appear inexperienced as prosecutors, they are from Houston,” Holm said. “Meanwhile thousands of experienced prosecutors and former prosecutors are in the Dallas area.”

They were appointed after prosecutors in Dallas and Travis counties passed on bringing a case against Paxton — something Holm has stressed in the past and did again Thursday. He also pointed out the State Securities Board declined to take criminal action against Paxton, whom it reprimanded and fined $1,000 after he admitted soliciting investment clients for a friend and business partner without properly registering with the state.

Schaffer’s comments Wednesday are the latest sign that Paxton’s legal troubles are growing serious. The attorney general has hired a high-powered Dallas attorney, Joe Kendall, to represent him as a Collin County grand jury prepares to meet. Schaffer has suggested he and Brian will start presenting evidence to the grand jury by the end of July.

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Paxton aide says AG is a target of a ‘political hit job’."