The FBI on Thursday arrested a businessman at the center of the scandal that led to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s historic impeachment, a move that came amid new questions about the men’s dealings raised by financial records the Republican’s lawyers made public to try to clear him of bribery allegations.

Nate Paul, 36, was taken into custody by federal agents and booked into an Austin jail in the afternoon, according to Travis County Sheriff’s Office records. It was not immediately clear what charges led to his arrest, but the records showed he was being held on a federal detainer for a felony.

Paul’s arrest followed a yearslong federal investigation into the Austin real estate developer — a probe that Paxton involved his office in, setting off a chain of events that ultimately led to his impeachment last month.

Lawyers for Paul did not immediately respond to requests for comment. One of Paxton’s defense attorneys, Dan Cogdell, said he had no additional information on the arrest. The FBI declined to comment, and a spokesman for federal prosecutors in West Texas did not respond to inquiries.

FBI agents examining Paul’s troubled real estate empire searched his Austin offices and palatial home in 2019. The next year, eight of Paxton’s top deputies reported the attorney general to the FBI on allegations of bribery and abusing his office to help Paul, including by hiring an outside lawyer to examine the developer’s claims of wrongdoing by federal agents.

The allegations by Paxton’s staff prompted an FBI investigation, which remains ongoing, and are central to articles of impeachment overwhelmingly approved by the GOP-led state House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, Paxton’s defense team showed a packed room of journalists a bank statement that included a 2020 wire transfer purportedly showing him, and not a donor, paying more than $120,000 for a home renovation.

The wire transfer was dated Oct. 1, 2020 — the same day Paxton’s deputies signed a letter informing the head of human resources at the Texas attorney general’s office that they had reported Paxton to the FBI.

The $121,000 payment was to Cupertino Builders, whose manager was an associate of Paul, state corporation and court records show.

The company did not incorporate as a business in Texas until more than three weeks after the transaction took place. A company of the same name was formed in Delaware in April of that year, although public filings there do not make clear who is behind it.

Last year a court-appointed overseer for some of Paul’s companies wrote in a report that Cupertino Builders was used for “fraudulent transfers” from his business to Narsimha Raju Sagiraju, who was convicted of fraud in California in 2016. The report described Sagiraju as Paul’s “friend.”

Paul, who also employed a woman with whom Paxton acknowledged having an extramarital affair, has denied bribing Paxton. In a deposition, Paul described Sagiraju as an “independent contractor” and said he didn’t remember how they first met.

The timing of the payment — and the identity of who was paid for renovations at Paxton’s home in Austin — was not publicly known before his new legal team held a news conference Wednesday in which they put financial documents on a projector screen while criticizing the impeachment. They were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Tony Buzbee, a prominent Houston attorney who was hired by Paxton over the weekend and led the news conference, said by email Thursday that receipts “clearly demonstrate” Paxton paid for the repairs. He did not address questions about the timing of the payments or Cupertino Builders.

“Without any evidence the politicians leading this sham impeachment falsely accused General Paxton of not paying for the repairs to his home. That is a lie,” Buzbee said.

Since becoming just the third sitting official in Texas history to be impeached, Paxton has attacked the proceedings as politically motivated and rushed, saying he was never given the chance to rebut the accusations in the state House.

“We have the receipts,” Buzbee told reporters Wednesday as the documents flashed onscreen. “This is the type of evidence we tried to offer them once we found out this foolishness was going on.”

Paxton is temporarily suspended from office pending the outcome of a trial in the Texas Senate that is set to begin no later than Aug. 28. The jury will be the members of the 31-seat Senate; one of them, Paxton’s wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, has not said whether she will recuse herself.

The Paxtons purchased the Austin house in 2018. When it was remodeled two years later, Paxton’s former staff alleged in court documents, Paul “was involved in” the work.

Among the 20 articles of impeachment are accusations that Paxton used the power of his office to help Paul over unproven claims of an elaborate conspiracy to steal $200 million of the developer’s properties. The FBI searched Paul’s home in 2019, but he has not been charged and his attorneys have denied wrongdoing.

The city has no record of building permits from the time of the renovations. A different Austin contractor — not Cupertino Builders — received a federal grand jury subpoena in 2021 for records related to work on Paxton’s home that started in January 2020.

Cupertino Builders was formed in October 2020 and dissolved less than two years later, according to Texas corporation records. Its manager was Sagiraju, who said in a deposition for an unrelated case that he did “consulting” work for Paul’s business and had an email address with Paul’s company.

Sagiraju acknowledged that he served prison time for securities fraud and grand theft in California before moving to Austin, according to a transcript of the deposition. He said he was first introduced to Paul by a mutual friend before his prison term and they later did “a few projects” together.

A lawyer for Sagiraju did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Paxton was separately indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015, though he has yet to stand trial.

my parents are trying to talk me into law school again which is so funny because all i’m gathering this week is that lawyers are the stupidest people alive

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/09/15/tony-buzbee-the-bush-era-in-texas-ends-today-they-can-go-back-to-maine-this-is-texas/

“The Bush era in Texas ends today,” declared Tony Buzbee, the attorney general’s defense attorney.

there's not a lot that's actually funny about the Ken Paxton situation (he got away with it too long to be funny and may still wriggle out) but if you live in Houston the prospect of watching two notorious but picturesquely named lawyers Rusty Hardin and Tony Buzbee duke it out gives the debacle an AMC flagship series appeal

Around 10 of the women who accused Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct expected to attend his Cleveland Browns debut vs. Houston, attorney says | CNN

Around 10 of the more than two dozen women who accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct were expected to attend his game in Houston on Sunday, according to their attorney.

Watson returned to the field to a mix of boos and cheers Sunday for his first NFL regular season game in two years to play against his former team, the Houston Texans, after serving an 11-game suspension without pay following sexual misconduct allegations.

“They thought it important to make clear that they are still here and that they matter. I was proud of them for that,” Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the accusers attending the game, told CNN in a statement. “I have made that opportunity available to them. I haven’t been to a Texans game in many years. But, because they are going, I will go too.”

Watch Houston Metropolis Council runoff election: Tony Buzbee trails Huffman in early outcomes - Newest Politics News

WFAA: Paxton Attorney Tony Buzbee's closing arguments at Ken Paxton Impeachment Trial; 'Case about nothing'

Attorney Tony Buzbee gives closing arguments in Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial. Buzbee calls trial “Political Witch Hunt.” Buzbee calls case a joke, says no evidence presented.

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TEXAS TRIBUNE

Closing statements begin in Paxton's trial.

Lead defense attorney Tony Buzbee: "The Bush era in Texas ends today."

Attorney Tony Buzbee's final argument defending Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's House Impeachment. Paxton was acquitted of all 16 counts by the Texas Senate.

Video

Tony Buzbee Discusses Background of Sham Impeachment Effort Against AG Ken Paxton

Do not let it escape your notice that not a single professional Republican entity has stood up to show their support for Texas AG Ken Paxton or congratulate him on the clear and decisive impeachment victory against the corrupt UniParty system in the Lone Star state.  Not a word from The Republican Attorneys General Association […] The post Tony Buzbee Discusses Background of Sham Impeachment Effort Against AG Ken Paxton appeared first on The Last Refuge. http://dlvr.it/SwFdqb

State Sen. Angela Paxton, the wife of embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, will no longer be allowed to vote in her husband’s upcoming impeachment proceedings as a result of new rules the state Senate approved Wednesday night.

The Dallas-area Republican state senator had previously vowed to “carry out (her) duties” and not recuse herself from voting in her husband’s upcoming impeachment trial.

But following delays and closed-door negotiations, the state Senate adopted new rules ahead of Ken Paxton’s September 5 impeachment trial, which now include barring the spouses of members who are the subject of impeachment proceedings from voting.

“A member of the court who is the spouse of a party to the court of impeachment is considered to have a conflict pursuant to… the Texas Constitution,” the resolution states. While the rules do allow Sen. Paxton to be present at the impeachment trial, the new rule states that, “such member of the court shall not be eligible to vote on any matter, motion, or question, or participate in closed sessions or deliberations.”

The rules were passed by a vote of 25-3. There was no public debate prior to the vote, and the names of the senators who voted against the resolution were not immediately available.

Angela Paxton said in a statement Thursday that she had voted against the impeachment rules. “These same rules prohibit me from saying more about the proceedings,” she said, stressing that she will still strive to be a voice for her district.

Tony Buzbee, an attorney representing Ken Paxton, called the impeachment trial a “sham” in a statement Thursday after the Texas Senate announced the impeachment trial rules.

“Now that the Senate has adopted the rules, we look forward to proving every count of this sham impeachment is baseless,” Buzbee said.

Rusty Hardin and Dick DeGuerin, the attorneys chosen to prosecute the impeachment trial, said in a statement Thursday that the rules will provide “a fair trial for both sides.”

Despite the lack of a unanimous vote, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, serving as president of the Senate as the vote was taken, said he considered the Republican-controlled chamber to be “united” in other ways. “You’re united to take an oath so that justice prevails, that everyone will do their job to the utmost fairness,” said Patrick.

In a separate resolution, the Texas Senate demanded Paxton appear in-person to answer the impeachment charges.

Ken Paxton was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives last month for alleged misconduct, including allegations that he used his office to favor the interests of a prominent donor. He has denied the allegations. Under the Texas Constitution, Paxton is suspended from office while the matter is pending but would be reinstated if acquitted by the Senate.

CNN previously reported that he is also facing an FBI investigation for abuse of office and that Justice Department prosecutors in Washington, DC, took over a corruption investigation into Paxton. He is also under indictment for securities fraud in a separate, unrelated case. Paxton has denied all charges and allegations.

CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to more accurately explain the new rule that affects the possible involvement of a spouse of a subject of an impeachment trial. The story also has been updated with additional reaction.

Tony Buzbee, “The Bush Era in Texas Ends Today” – “They Can Go Back to Maine, THIS Is Texas”…

allelujah!  Ken Paxton’s defense attorney Tony Buzbee brings the fire today during his closing statement in the insufferable impeachment effort underway in Texas.Delivering the non-pretending thunder-bombs, Mr. Buzbee laid waste to the manipulative and machiavellian Bush legacy with some resounding truths.  This was awesome.The full closing remarks are below the fold; but here’s the highlight…

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Buzbee Does It Again – AG Asst Who Claimed Ken Paxton Took Bribe via Kitchen Remodel Admits Remodel Never Took Place

Once again, the innuendo and supposition by Ken Paxton accusers runs into reality.  Previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s personal assistant, Drew Wicker, made an accusation that a Texas donor named Nate Paul funded a kitchen remodel for Paxton.   A quid pro quo to sell influence.

However, during cross examination today, Drew Wicker admitted the kitchen remodel never took place, and the actual details of the home remodel being done by Paxton was taking place *after* the office “whistleblowers” went to the FBI with their ungrounded claims.   Paxton’s attorney Tony Buzbee showed Drew Wicker pictures of the kitchen taken three years ago and also taken last month.  There was never any remodel work completed.  This is the central point of the alleged bribery. WATCH:

The baseline of this entire impeachment has become a joke.  A bunch of Bush aligned prosecutors, and staff from Texas, manufactured a case of rumor and innuendo against Attorney General Ken Paxton simply because Paxton defeated George P. Bush, their preferred candidate.

[ad_1] The chief of police in Galveston, Texas, has been placed on administrative leave as the city investigates a botched SWAT raid that caused an estimated $5,000 in property damage to an innocent family's home. Police subsequently withheld information about the raid, and city officials only learned of it days later following local news reports, according to the Houston Chronicle. Galveston seems to have ample cause for embarrassment. On January 22, police executed a 2 a.m. raid at the home of Erika Rios and her family. The SWAT team's warrant was for Cameron Vargas, a 17-year-old murder suspect who visited the Rios family earlier that night but did not live with them and had left their house before police performed the raid.  "My kids and I were home sleeping," Rios said. "About 2 a.m., we were awakened by wooden pellets flying through our doors and sounds of the Galveston Police Department [saying] 'Come out with your hands up.'" Footage shows teenagers—two of Rios' children and a friend were reportedly present—walking through the house with their hands raised. Other footage shows officers dragging a woman, apparently Rios, out the front door. She claims that police handcuffed her and her son. In a Facebook post, Tony Buzbee, one of Rios' lawyers, alleged that police continued to destroy property "after knowing they [had] made a mistake" and told Rios' daughter they were searching for "guns and drugs." Moreover, he stated, police conducted the raid despite knowing "the actual whereabouts of" Vargas (an allegation that the Galveston Municipal Police Association contests, as reported by Galveston County's The Daily News, which has provided extensive coverage as the story unfolds). Galveston placed the police chief, Doug Balli, on leave due to his failure to report the raid. "An investigation into the incident is underway, but I was not aware of what happened until I read the article in the paper," said Mayor Craig Brown. City officials on Monday stated that the county sheriff's office will also investigate the incident. City Manager Brian Maxwell has stated that the city would pay Rios for the damage done to her home, but a mere reimbursement seems less than her family is due. "We want the windows replaced, their doors fixed. We want their fence fixed, the wiring fixed, and their water fixed," Buzbee said Wednesday. "All of the things you destroyed unnecessarily fixed, and we want you to pay their medical bills that they need for glass in their feet and their knees." Buzbee stated the city must act by Friday. "We expect somebody from [the city] to get this problem fixed," he said. "We will wait, but we won't wait too long." Neither Rios' lawyers nor the city had apparently made any further statements on the matter as of Friday afternoon. Vargas, meanwhile, had his charges dropped just days after the raid. Cities, police departments, and unions routinely attempt to protect offending officers and stiff citizen victims. In Galveston, the police union quickly backed Balli. [ad_2] Source link