Texas AG Ken Paxton can be disciplined for lawsuit to overturn 2020 election: court
AUSTIN, Texas - Attorney General Ken Paxton could be disciplined for his lawsuit trying to overturn the 2020 election.
A Texas appeals court ruled against the attorney general.
As a result, Paxton can now be disciplined by the state bar association, which accuses him of making false claims of fraud in a lawsuit that questioned Pres. Biden's election win.
In 2022, a disciplinary committee of the State Bar of Texas accused Paxton of making false claims of fraud in a lawsuit that questioned Pres. Biden's victory.
A panel of three judges of the 5th District Circuit Court of Appeals said Paxton can be sanctioned by the state bar because they are seeking to punish him personally as an attorney, and not as a public official.
"As in that case, we will appeal this ruling and we have full confidence the Supreme Court of Texas will not allow false claims by the State Bar and partisan political revenge to affect professional licensure of the state's lawyers," Paxton spokeswoman Paige Willey said in a statement.
The State Bar of Texas has not commented on the ruling.
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The bar association's punishments against Paxton can range from a written admonition to disbarment or suspension.
Paxton is not required to have bar membership to serve as attorney general.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.