Bush: Cloud of criminality over Paxton in Texas AG race
HOUSTON - Grandson of one President, nephew of another, George P. Bush is looking to persuade Texans he will be a better top lawyer for the Lone Star State than the controversial incumbent, Ken Paxton.
A major focus for Bush, if elected, will be using the office of Texas Attorney General to regain control of an increasingly chaotic border.
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"There are things tactically we can do down on the border - continue construction of the Texas wall, back DPS Troopers and National guardsmen, and start arresting illegals under state criminal law, which is what Ken Paxton is not doing and what I want to do on day one," said Bush.
And then there's the issue of escalating violent crime. Bush says he'd push Texas legislators to out-law "cash-less" bond.
"The majority of violent crimes that are occurring in broad daylight in cities, like Houston, are repeat offenders, and yet we have "Beto style" judges who got elected in that sweep in Harris County that repeatedly release these criminal defendants on personal bond," said Bush.
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"George P's" home stretch pitch in this GOP run-off is heavily laced with warnings for Republican voters, namely the pending federal bribery investigation aimed at Paxton, which could trigger a criminal indictment before the November election and open the door for a Democratic challenger.
"(Democrats) want their first statewide office in over 30 years. The best way they can do that is to hope for Ken Paxton to be nominated, drop indictments the day after or sometime this fall, and then perp walk him into jail for the second time this term alone. My message to conservatives and to Republicans is this is way too much of a risk, way too much of a liability," said Bush.
Paxton was by far the top vote getter in the March 1 Primary and 63% of Republicans surveyed in a recent Texas Politics Project Poll viewed the controversial incumbent favorably.