Ken Paxton wins NRA support in runoff for Texas attorney general
The National Rifle Association announced Monday that it will support state Sen. Ken Paxton in the GOP runoff for Texas attorney general, but Paxton’s recent reprimand for violating a state securities law prompted a U.S. congressman to back his opponent, state Rep. Dan Branch.
The dueling announcements lent a sharper edge to the routine practice of unveiling endorsements in the stretch run toward the May 27 runoff.
Announcing his support for Branch, U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, said he was disturbed by the reprimand and $1,000 fine given to Paxton by the State Securities Board last week.
The board found that Paxton solicited clients for a Texas investment firm, receiving 30 percent of management fees, without registering as an investment adviser representative as required by state law and without personally disclosing the business relationship to potential clients, according to a disciplinary order signed Friday by Paxton and state securities commissioner John Morgan.
“Now that Sen. Ken Paxton has admitted to repeatedly breaking laws designed to protect Texans from being cheated by unscrupulous investment companies, it is clear we cannot have him as a nominee to be our state’s top law enforcement officer,” Olson said. “Our next attorney general must be beyond reproach in order to truly bring the fight to the Obama administration and enforce the laws of our state.”
More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/ken-paxton-wins-nra-support-in-runoff-for-texas-at/nfpzB/ .
