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November 30, 2015      7:54 PM

Updated: Proposal to allow out-of-state money for Paxton legal defense is panned and delayed

“It would open a Pandora's box that invites corruption from a source already under indictment for alleged securities fraud. This serves nobody but Ken Paxton.”

The Texas Ethics Commission on Monday voted to create a subcommittee to further study the issue of whether Attorney General Ken Paxton can accept money with no Texas ties to fund his legal defense.

Unlike former Gov. Rick Perry, Paxton is barred from using campaign funds for his attorneys because the allegations against him of violating state securities laws are not related to his official duties in office. State law also prohibits the AG from accepting benefits from those who could be regulated by the attorney general.

A draft opinion, as first reported by David Rauf in the Houston Chronicle, circulated ahead of Monday’s TEC meeting laid out steps for an employee of the AG’s office to take to avoid gift-giving laws while accepting a benefit from a donor.

By Scott Braddock