Incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is keeping up his attacks with only weeks to go before the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff election in Texas.
Cornyn, R-TX, launched a new digital ad Thursday, May 7, targeting Attorney General Ken Paxton for offering “a sweetheart plea deal to a man who sexually abused a minor for three years,” according to a campaign news release.
“Apparently, Ken Paxton believes sexual abuse of a child for three years should require no new jail time or sex offender registry,” said Cornyn campaign senior advisor Matt Mackowiak in the release. “No serious person agrees with this. Ken Paxton needs to explain this clear conflict of interest and outrageous plea deal, which the local Republican judge rejected twice.”
The ad focuses on the recent case of Adam Hoffman, a lawyer in Waco, Texas, who was facing a life sentence for sexual abuse of a child until Paxton stepped in and offered a deal. Hoffman was required to serve only 30 days in jail and was not required to register as a sex offender.
As it turns out, Hoffman was being represented by Gerry Morris, the same attorney who represented Paxton donor Nate Paul. Paul, a Texas real estate developer, reached a plea deal in a federal fraud case last year stemming from a years-long investigation into false statements made to secure loans in 2017 and 2018, according to reporting from KVUE.
“Why do child predators connected to Ken Paxton keep getting off easy?,” the narration in the ad asks. “Texans deserve an answer.”
Cornyn and Paxton will face off in the May 26 runoff. The winner will advance to the November 3 General Election to face state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Cornyn keeps up attacks on Paxton in Texas US Senate runoff
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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