Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under indictment on charges of securities fraud, claimed on Thursday night that his long shot lawsuit to get the Supreme Court to nullify the election results is not an attempt to snag a pardon from President Donald Trump.
During an interview on Fox News, Paxton pushed back against conservative commentator Erick Erickson’s accusation that he was fishing for a pardon by filing the lawsuit, which aims to steal Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan’s electors from President-elect Joe Biden with evidence-free claims of election fraud.
“Erick has no idea what he’s talking about,” Paxton said. “I’ve been working on these issues for the last year.”
The attorney general insisted that the endeavor was “just one more” lawsuit among the several he had already filed regarding election fraud (contrary to Paxton and other Republicans’ claims, there has been no evidence of mass voter fraud).
“So this is ridiculous for Erick to make that accusation,” Paxton said. “He has no idea what he’s talking about.”
In 2015, the Texas grand jury indicted Paxton for alleged securities fraud, to which the attorney general has pleaded not guilty.
Additionally, seven of Paxton’s former top aides in October accused him of bribery and abuse of office. The FBI is currently investigating the allegations.
Watch Paxton below:
Texas AG, who was indicted for securities fraud, says it's "ridiculous" to accuse him of trying to get a pardon from Trump with long shot lawsuit to overturn election results. pic.twitter.com/28zVDcjWWu
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) December 11, 2020
yes, it’s ridiculous
tee hee
just a bit less riduculous than the meritless filing.
Yes, ridiculous…wink, wink.
No nothing to see here. Move along…
“Erick has no idea what he’s talking about,” Paxton said. “I’ve been working on these issues for the last year.”
It took him a year to come up with that laughable, ill-advised, pathetic lawsuit? Texas isn’t sending their brightest, I see.
We will see if Trump bites, but putting this in the news makes it less likely it will happen.