Texas AG Sued By Whistleblowers For Firing Them

The Texas Tribune reports:

At 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, David Maxwell and Mark Penley, then two top aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, reported separately to the agency’s offices, where, they claim, they were subjected to hours of “irregularities, harassment and retaliation.” Then, they say, when pressured to resign, they refused. Eight hours later, they were fired.

Penley, the agency’s former deputy attorney general for criminal justice, and Maxwell, its former director of law enforcement, claim in a new whistleblower lawsuit that this treatment came after they, along with six of their senior colleagues at the agency, reported Paxton to authorities.

They alleged their boss had broken the law by using the agency to serve the interests of a political donor and friend, Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor.

A lawsuit accuses the Texas Attorney General of abuse of office and says he responded to the allegations by attempting to destroy the careers of his top brass. https://t.co/s8VYwThn5E

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 13, 2020