Dear Pro Publica: Are You Fucking Kidding Me?

They were trying to help run elections — then Texas' Ken Paxton had them criminally investigatedhttps://t.co/R0PHJNUEin

— Raw Story (@RawStory) November 3, 2022

You could at least mention that Paxton has no criminal enforcement authority. That the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled, twice, on that issue.* (The first time was last December!) That one of those cases was the investigation of Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, whose criminal investigation you highlight in the article.

This isn’t complicated.

Yes, Paxton may have started several criminal investigations before the first Court of Criminal Appeals ruling. But all Paxton can do now is assist DA’s who ask for the help, and there’s no indication in your article that this has happened. In fact, the cases Paxton took to a grand jury you do mention all failed to get indictments. Which is a spanking for a criminal prosecutor. (As were the two rulings by the Court of Criminal Appeals.) And pretty much indicates the politicians think this is hot stuff (they’re the ones who gave Paxton criminal authority the Court took away), but the people (and the courts) don’t.

Talk about burying the lede.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: journalists don’t have a fucking clue when it comes to writing about legal matters.

*The ruling has even caused other voter fraud cases brought by Paxton to be dismissed.