Texas will receive more than $780 million from BP as part of a $20.2 billion settlement agreement with Gulf states in connection with the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill. The settlement agreement follows a federal judge ruling that found BP at fault for gross negligence in the spill, which released nearly 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association advised clerks not to issue licenses for 25 days, during which time the Supreme Court could be petitioned for a rehearing. Same-sex marriages are also on hold in the state of Mississippi where Democrat attorney general Jim Hood said the Supreme Court’s decision would not go into effect in his state until the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals lifts a stay on its ruling from last year in which it struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban.
The Texas Attorney General has responded to the “newly invented federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage” created by the “activist” U.S. Supreme Court by telling Texas officials “Texas must speak with one voice against this lawlessness.” He issued an opinion and said Texans must “act on multiple levels to further protect religious liberties for all Texans” and must “immediately do anything we can to help our County Clerks and public officials who now are forced with defending their religious beliefs against the Court’s ruling.”
The Supreme Court of the United States, in a 5-4 decision on Friday, declared that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right. Almost immediately, various count clerks’ offices around Texas began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Texas elected officials quickly responded to the high court’s decision.
In a 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the subsidies received by people who live in states with no state exchanges are constitutional. The ruling in King v. Burwell, a second Obama victory before the Supreme Court, ensures that those receiving these subsidies will be able to continue on the program.
A Travis County judge’s dissolution of a homosexual couple’s marriage has created questions about where the Texas Supreme Court stands on gay divorce.
The Texas attorney general’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) joined with the national ICAC task force in “Operation Broken Heart II.” The operation, which included federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of 17 alleged child predators.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the State of Texas was within its rights to reject an application for a vehicle specialty license plate depicting the Confederate Battle Flag. The 5-4 decision by the nation’s highest court was announced Thursday morning.
One of the 170 bikers arrested in Waco, Texas and previously held on $1,000,000 bond has taken to the media to call upon Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The biker, Matthew Alan Clendennen, claims he is innocent and that his May, 17, 2015 arrest was a result of a broad sweep by Waco police.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a ceremony to sign the toughest and most comprehensive border security plan of any state in the United States of America. The legislative package provides historic levels of funding to secure the border, establishes a Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit, strengthens penalties for human traffickers, increases funding for the border protection unit, and seeks reimbursement from the federal government for Texas funds spent on border issues.
The president’s executive amnesty is so complex and unwieldy that not even the Obama administration itself truly knows what is actually happening, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argues.
Lawyers for the Obama Administration have been forced to admit that the federal government has violated a court order by implementing President Obama’s executive amnesty program. Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton say that the Obama Administration continues to show a blatant disregard for the law.
The Obama administration is expressing regret to U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen — the man presiding over 26 states’ court challenge to executive amnesty — for not being entirely forthcoming about the implementation dates associated with the programs.
The Texas Attorney General has accused Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers of committing a “brazen disregard for a legal order” in the case filed against President Obama’s executive amnesty plan. This comes after a judge issued government lawyers a scathing written rebuke and ordered the Federal Government to produce documents showing who was responsible for making misrepresentations to the Court during the litigation.
HOUSTON, Texas– Houston attorneys Kent Schaffer and Brian Wice were appointed today to serve as Collin County Criminal District Attorneys Pro Tem (Latin for temporary) to “assist in the investigation and, if warranted, the prosecution of Ken Paxton for the securities law complaints currently under investigation by the Texas Rangers.” Texas State District Court Judge Scott J. Becker, Local Administrative Judge for Collin County, Texas made this appointment pursuant to the authority of Article 2.07 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement on Federal Judge Andrew Hanen’s decision to deny the Obama Administration’s request to withdraw the stay he granted in February. The judge also denied the Administration’s request to immediately implement executive amnesty and granted limited discovery in the case.
Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor granted the State of Texas’ request for a stay against the Obama Administration in a lawsuit regarding regulations pertaining to the Family and Medical Leave Act. The Court’s action blocks the Administration from implementing a new rule requiring businesses to give same-sex couples access to the Act’s benefits even if they live in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriages.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a motion for discovery on Thursday to investigate whether the Obama Administration misrepresented actions taken under President Obama’s executive orders granting amnesty to illegal immigrants. Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick quickly issued statements of support of the call for an investigation. The issue revolves around admissions by the Administration that tens of thousands of work permits have already been issued to illegal immigrants, a direct contradiction to facts presented in federal court.
The importance of having strong, competent leaders fighting for Texas is never more apparent than when the will of Texans and the rule of law are under assault. That was clearly evident last week when a judge in Travis County declared our state’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, despite the will of more than three-quarters of Texans who voted for the amendment. Two days later, another judge in Travis County in a separate case directed the Travis County Clerk to issue a marriage license to a Democrat-Party-connected same-sex couple.
On Thursday, February 19, the Texas Supreme Court granted an emergency motion requested by Attorney General Ken Paxton to stay two Travis County court ruling declaring the state’s law banning gay marriage unconstitutional. This action followed a Travis County clerk issuing the first “legal” gay marriage license, although Texas voters banned same-sex marriage a decade ago.
The first gay marriage in Texas history happened in Austin on Thursday afternoon. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, both of Austin, went to the Travis County Clerk immediately after obtaining a court order in their favor, obtained a license, and were married. Texas
In a joint press conference at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday, Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton addressed the recent temporary injunction imposed by a federal judge in Texas on President Barack Obama’s executive amnesty order. All four praised the decision by Judge Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and said that they were “confident” the ruling would survive any appeals.
The investigation by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office into alleged misconduct by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been closed with no charges being filed. Allegations were made against Paxton while he was a State Senator and was running for the Attorney General position he won in the November election. Paxton paid a civil fine of $1,000 after he acknowledged he had failed to properly file registration papers with the State Securities Board.
Several prominent Texas elected officials quickly issued statements publicly declaring their support for former Governor Rick Perry and denouncing the case against him as politically motivated, after news broke on Tuesday that Judge Bert Richardson had ruled against Perry’s motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him.
AUSTIN, Texas — Lieutenant Governor-elect Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke out about the ongoing admissions scandal at the University of Texas at Austin Thursday evening, voicing their support for Wallace J. Hall, Jr., the embattled Board of Regents member. Patrick went one step further, specifically criticizing legislators who had sought an unfair advantage for their children in getting admitted to UT.
AUSTIN, Texas — A veritable who’s who of Texas politics gathered in the Texas Senate chamber to celebrate the swearing in of Texas’ new Attorney General, Ken Paxton. He took the oath of office from his predecessor, outgoing Attorney General and soon to be Governor, Greg Abbott.
