Judge Awards 6.6 Million To Whistleblowers Who Reported Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton To Fbi

A district court judge on Friday awarded more than 6 million combined to four whistleblowers in their lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who were fired shortly after they reported him to the FBI.

"By a preponderance of the evidence," Travis County Judge Catherine Mauzy says in her judgment, the plaintiffs proved liability, damages and attorney's fees in their complaint against the attorney general's office.

"Because the Office of the Attorney General violated the Texas Whistleblower Act by firing and otherwise retaliating against the plaintiff for in good faith reporting violations of law by Ken Paxton and OAG, the court hereby renders judgment for plaintiffs," Mauzy states.

The court found that the four Paxton aides were fired in retaliation for reporting allegations that he was using his office to accept bribes from an Austin real estate developer who employed a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Paxton has denied accepting bribes or misusing his office to help Nate Paul, the real estate developer.

The judgment also stated that the employees made their reports to law enforcement "in good faith" and that Paxton's office did not dispute any claims or damages in the lawsuit.