COLLIN COUNTY, Texas – The special prosecutors who obtained fraud indictments against Attorney General Ken Paxton from a Collin County grand jury two years ago are going to court in McKinney Wednesday to argue that Paxton’s trial should be moved from Collin County because of a systematic effort to influence potential jurors there against the government's case.
Paxton was charged with securities fraud in 2015 for allegedly failing to disclose to investors he was being paid to steer them to a friend’s technology company.
Paxton called the charges politically motivated.
Last week, the prosecutors in the case filed a motion.
The special prosecutors, Houston attorneys Kent Schaeffer and Brian Wice (also a Channel 2 legal analyst), contend Paxton supporters have filed lawsuits to malign them and stop payment of their salaries.
They also cite radio ads run in North Texas attacking the alleged victims in the fraud case, videos and comments on social media, and they claim a confidential report from the Texas Rangers was leaked by a member of Paxton’s defense team.
The prosecutors contend all of that makes it impossible to pick an impartial jury in Collin County and are asking to have the trial moved.
Asked about the hearing today in Dallas, Paxton declined to discuss details.
“I’d love to spend an hour talking about, but the reality is I’m looking forward to winning. I think you’ll see we’ll be successful and the truth will come out,” Paxton said.