FILE – In this July 29, 2015 file photo, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a hearing in Austin, Texas. Paxton moved June 3, 2016, to muzzle a former state regulator who says he was ordered in 2010 to drop a fraud investigation into Trump University for political reasons. Paxton’s office issued a cease and desist letter to former Deputy Chief of Consumer Protection John Owens after he made public copies of a 14-page internal summary of the state’s case against Donald Trump for scamming millions from students of his namesake real estate seminar. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
A wealthy donor whose relationship with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is the subject of an FBI investigation played a role in the renovation of Paxton's million-dollar home, according to court documents filed Thursday.
Last year, much of Paxton's senior staff accused the Republican of committing crimes to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. All of the accusers subsequently quit or were fired, and four later sued the attorney general under the state's whistleblower law.
In a revised court complaint, that group claimed they have information that suggests Paul "was involved in" the 2020 remodeling of a home in Austin that Paxton purchased in 2018. They do not spell out what this evidence is nor detail Paul's alleged role in the renovation.
Paxton's defense attorney, Philip Hilder, declined to comment. The attorney general has broadly denied wrongdoing.
Paul's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Paul has been under FBI investigation since at least 2019. Last year, he launched a campaign of counter allegations against the agents, federal judges and other businessmen and officials.
Paxton hired an outside lawyer to investigate these claims in September before dropping the case when it became public. The hire was one of four acts that appeared to help Paul and prompted Paxton's eight top deputies to report him to the FBI for alleged abuse of office and bribery.
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Paul gave $25,000 to Paxton's 2018 reelection campaign and employs a woman with whom the attorney general allegedly had an extramarital affair, but the full nature of their relationship remains unclear.
