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Is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking a presidential pardon?

Paxton's folks say this isn't about a pardon because he hasn't done anything to be pardoned for.

AUSTIN, Texas — On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit that aimed to essentially overturn Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. That effort was led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The lawsuit aimed to challenge election results in four states, all won by President-elect Biden last month.

The Texas attorney general has had a busy week. FBI agents served subpoenas on Paxton's Downtown Austin office as part of an investigation. That investigation is focusing on whether Paxton abused his office to help a high-end campaign donor.

Amid a national discussion and debate on whether Paxton is trying to get a presidential pardon in this investigation against him, others say this is more likely an attempt to possibly change the focus away from the criminal investigation and place it somewhere else.

That's not working for Paxton, though, because now people are talking more about the FBI investigation.

   

There is also the belief among some that Paxton may simply be trying to keep that base support in his favor, often the same base that supports President Donald Trump.

It is important to note that Paxton's folks say this isn't about a pardon because he hasn't done anything to be pardoned for.

Pardons are only for federal crimes or possible federal crimes, so state charges would likely remain. They have stood for five years, and prosecutors have continued to express their intent to go forward.

RELATED: Five years after indictment, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton still hasn't had his day in court

In the FBI case, those whistleblowers also claim some of the conduct they alleged could be state charges. Travis County will have a new district attorney in January, and there are already early discussions about whether he may try to take some of this on.

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