CNN
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Justice Department prosecutors in Washington, DC, have taken over the corruption investigation into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
State Prosecutor Kent Schaefer, who is separately investigating Paxton, told CNN in an interview that the Justice Department notified him of the change. The years-long corruption investigation was, until now, under the control of federal prosecutors in Texas.
The recent takeover by federal prosecutors at the Justice Department headquarters in Washington is the most recent development in the Texas attorney general’s investigation, which was launched later. Accusations on many associates Paxton of bribery, abuse of office and other possible criminal offenses in 2020. It also comes just days after Paxton agreed. a tentative $3.3 million settlement With four colleagues making public allegations.
Paxton has repeatedly denied allegations of wrongdoing. In a statement to CNN after the settlement was announced last week, Paxton said he “chose this path” “to put the issue to rest”.
According to Schaefer, the investigation will now be handled by the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section. The Public Integrity Section handles high profile prosecutions of public officials, including cases of bribery and corruption.
It’s unclear what prompted the move to replace federal prosecutors in Texas in the case.
A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment.
Paxton’s attorney, Dan Cogdell, told The Associated Press that informed earlier development, that she had previously asked prosecutors for the Western District of Texas to drop out of the case because they had “an apparent conflict”, but that she had not been personally informed of the move. Cogdell did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNN.
CNN has also reached out to Paxton’s office for comment.
In an interview with CNN, Schaefer said that “there’s no reason in the world [the Texas prosecutors] The prosecution could not continue.” He said he was concerned “Ken Paxton committed a crime … and he won’t have to answer for it.”
He continued: “This cat’s got nine lives, and it looks like he’s used about seven or eight of them.”