Former Governor, and now 2016 Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, unequivocally told reporters that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton should not resign just because he has been indicted. Perry is facing his own criminal charges in Texas.
The Dallas Morning News reported that when asked whether Texas top lawyer should step down, he said, “No.”
“Not at all,” Perry is reported to have said. “No. It’s that’s simple. I was hoping that guys in the media would respect the Constitution, as well – that you’re innocent until proven guilty. I think that’s the case.”
The University of Texas student newspaper, The Daily Texan, and the Denton-Record Chronicle, have called for the indicted Texas Attorney General to resign.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, Paxton has been charged with two first degree counts of securities fraud, and with a third degree felony for failing to register as a securities adviser with the Texas State Securities Board.
Paxton was booked, photographed, and charged in early August, as reported by Breitbart Texas. He turned himself in at the Collin County, Texas, jail.
Paxton was re-indicted on August 18th after special prosecutors had him reindicted, as reported by Breitbart Texas. The charges remain the same but language in the indictments have been changed.
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2