Paxton deserves the same presumption of innocence as any other citizen, even if he already has admitted the 2012 violation of state securities law that undergirds one of the three charges. The far more serious two additional charges, of failing to disclose to clients that he was making a commission off their investments, adds significant heft to the case. Prison time is possible.
It’s against this backdrop that we urge Paxton to put the integrity of his office first. The state’s top law enforcement officer is required to defend the laws and state Constitution. He now stands charged as a violator of the very laws he’s sworn to uphold.
Paxton in 2003 voted to stiffen Texas law so that failure to register as an investment agent constitutes a felony. Ignorance of the law is never a valid excuse, but especially not when the admitted violator helped pass the law.
If Paxton isn’t considering resignation, he should at least delegate major prosecutorial decisions to senior assistants. Morale among a staff of dedicated legal officers cannot help but suffer under the cloud over their boss. Besides, Paxton’s priorities now focus on his own defense, which further underscores the need to delegate his official duties.
