It used to be that chief law enforcement officers respected the courts and and the laws they must enforce. But, Ken Paxton sees things differently. The chief law enforcement officer for the state recently went on Mike Lindell’s website, Frank, and urged his supporters to contact the judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and pressure them to change a recent decision. It started when AG Paxton started prosecuting low level voter fraud cases. One such prosecution resulted in an appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The CCA overturned a provision in the Texas Penal Code that allowed the AG’s office to prosecute voter fraud cases. The CCA voted 8-1 to strike down that provision. The CCA consists of all Republican judges. See Texas Tribune report about that decision here.

Of course, the decision did not say the AG can never prosecute such cases. The decision said the AG can prosecute such cases only at the request of the local District Attorney. The AG’s office has asked the CCA to reconsider its decision.

On Mike Lindell’s website, AG Paxton called on his supporters to contact the eight judges on the CCA and pressure them to accept his motion to reconsider. He urged his supporters to do so in a “calm” manner. Send them mail, send them email, call them, urged the chief law enforcement officer of the state. AG Paxton even included contact information for all eight judges. See Business Insider report here.

So, this is first for me. A party litigant who lost his case is trying to force judges to reconsider their decision based not on the facts or on the law, but on political persuasion. We can imagine how this would work if everyone who has a case pending at the Bexar County Courthouse calls on his/her neighbors and family to pressure the state court judges. And, this from the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Texas?