Paxton: Top aide quit before being put on investigative leave

[TexasTowelie]

In his first interview since top aides accused him of official misconduct, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he was about to place his second in command, Jeff Mateer, on investigative leave before Mateer quit on Oct. 2.

Paxton, speaking to the Southeast Texas Record, said he suspected that Mateer resigned after catching wind of the pending sanction in an attempt to drive a “narrative” of negative stories about Paxton.

But Mateer, who had kept a low profile since leaving as first assistant attorney general, broke his silence Wednesday to say he did not know of Paxton’s plans to place him on leave.

“He never mentioned to me that he was going to put me on investigative leave,” Mateer told the American-Statesman. “I decided to resign at 4:30 on Friday (Oct. 2),” not long after telling Paxton via text message that he and six top aides had spoken to federal law enforcement about their concerns over Paxton’s “relationship and activities with Nate Paul,” an Austin businessman who was under federal investigation.

Read more: https://www.reporternews.com/story/news/2020/10/15/paxton-top-aide-quit-before-being-put-on-investigative-leave/3665474001/
(Abilene Reporter-News)

[TwilightZone]

1. You can't quit, you're fired!

I called this a couple of days ago. Told my partner that Paxton was going to claim he was going to fire Mateer.

In a party full of sleezeballs, Paxton is damn near the top.