What happens with whistleblower settlement, money promised following Paxton trial
If you're wondering what happens with the initial whistleblower case and the roughly $3 million settlement now that the impeachment trial is over, it was left in the air.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you're wondering what happens with the initial whistleblower case and the roughly $3 million settlement now that the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is over, it was left in the air. The actual settlement agreement was never finalized.
In March, the plaintiffs filed with the Texas Supreme Court to reinstate the case.
Paxton himself was not the one being sued, but rather the Office of the Attorney General.
Four former top aides sued for wrongful firing and retaliation after they accused Paxton of using his office to help Nate Paul, an Austin real estate developer.
The plaintiffs said they had evidence that showed Paxton abused his office to give special favors to Paul in return for high-dollar campaign contributions and undisclosed gifts.
The OAG agreed to settle with the former aides for $3.3 million but court filings showed there were concerns over a deadline if the legislature did not approve the settlement funding.
The OAG said the plaintiffs entered into a binding agreement and could not back out.
On Sept. 16, the Texas Senate acquitted Paxton on all of the articles of impeachment that he faced during the nearly two-week trial.
Senators weighed 16 of the 20 original articles of impeachment approved by the House in late May, and Paxton pleaded not guilty to all 16 at the beginning of the trial.
The attorneys for whistleblowers argued the OAG wanted to push the settlement at least until another two years when the next legislature could agree to fund the settlement.
Per the State Supreme Court's online portal, the case remained abated, or on hold, as of April until further court order.