Democratic district attorneys and county attorneys from across the state filed lawsuits Friday challenging the constitutionality of new oversight rules imposed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which they argue infringe upon prosecutorial independence and violate the state constitution.
The lawsuits were filed by a slew of Democratic DAs and county attorneys, including Delia Garza and Jos茅 Garza of AG真人百家乐 County, Sean Teare of Harris County, Joe Gonzales of Bexar County, John Creuzot of Dallas County and Christina Sanchez of El Paso County. They argue that Paxton's recently adopted regulations 鈥� requiring district and county attorneys in counties with over 400,000 people to submit detailed reports and grant the Attorney General's Office access to certain case files 鈥� exceed his legal authority.
Under the new rules, district attorneys must report indictments against police officers and poll workers, communications with federal authorities and office policies to the Attorney General鈥檚 Office. The reports also require a wide range of information 鈥� including how cases are resolved, how budgets are spent, internal emails and details about how prosecutors make decisions.
鈥淭hese reporting requirements do not make communities safer,鈥� said Gonzales, Bexar County鈥檚 district attorney. 鈥淭hey create barriers that divert limited resources away from what matters most, which is prosecuting violent offenders and protecting our community.鈥�
At the time, the policy was intended to 鈥渞ein in rogue district attorneys.鈥� According to the state鈥檚 , noncompliance could result in prosecutors being removed from office. In a statement on Friday, Paxton called the rule 鈥渁 simple, straightforward, common-sense measure鈥� and accused the DAs of attempting to sidestep accountability.
Paxton described the lawsuits as 鈥渕eritless and merely a sad, desperate attempt to conceal information from the public they were sworn to protect.鈥�
The prosecutors, on the other hand, say their counties are being unfairly singled out and seek to block enforcement of the new rule. It only applies to about a dozen of the state鈥檚 more than 250 counties, and most of them are Democratic-leaning.
鈥淧axton should be working with all district and county attorneys in pursuit of justice, not picking fights with the Democrats in large cities,鈥� said Creuzot, Dallas County鈥檚 DA.
Harris County DA Sean Teare didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
At a in Austin, AG真人百家乐 County Attorney Delia Garza said the rules 鈥渋nvade the separation of powers" of the Texas government.
During the same briefing, El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez added that Paxton鈥檚 policy has placed an 鈥渆xtreme burden鈥� on counties across the state by adding 鈥漵ignificant operational costs鈥� for additional administrative tasks brought on by the rule.
鈥淲e stand ready to fight this particular rule,鈥� Sanchez said. 鈥淲e stand ready to respond.鈥�
