AUSTIN, Texas — More than a dozen attorneys – including three former presidents of the State Bar of Texas – want the State Bar to investigate suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton and potentially prevent him from practicing law in the state.
According to a report from KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, 14 attorneys have filed a new complaint with the State Bar, saying Paxton has "disgraced" the legal profession.
The attorneys cite the same allegations of abuse of office and misconduct that Paxton will face in his Senate impeachment trial, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
"After investigation, if the allegations in this complaint are validated, Mr. Paxton should be suspended from the practice of law or be permanently disbarred," the complaint states.
According to the Statesman report, the complaint cites a State Bar rule pertaining to criminal misconduct that “raises a substantial question as to that lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects" and calls for informing "the appropriate disciplinary authority.”
Paxton's attorneys have yet to comment on the new complaint. A State Bar spokesperson also did not respond to the Statesman's request for comment.
It's worth noting that the Texas Constitution does not require the attorney general to be licensed to practice law in Texas.