Attorney General Ken Paxton has put forward a new rule focused on district and county attorneys in Texas, imposing new reporting demands said to promote transparency and public safety. In counties with populations of 400,000 or more, attorneys must now submit detailed performance reports to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), according to the Texas Attorney General announcement.
Paxton's office has argued that the increased scrutiny is a response to district attorneys whom he sees as endangering lives by failing to follow through on prosecutions of violent criminals. "District and County Attorneys have a duty to protect the communities they serve by upholding the law and vigorously prosecuting dangerous criminals," Paxton stated. This sentiment is echoed in the OAG's report, suggesting that the rule aims to counter attorneys deemed as "rogue" as reported by the Texas Attorney General.
This measure is painted as a way for citizens to keep local elected officials accountable, with the data enabling the public to see if district attorneys are, in the words of the OAG, releasing dangerous criminals back into the community or engaging in selective prosecution. In doing so, Paxton said, "This rule will enable citizens to hold rogue DA's accountable," effectively linking the rule to a greater call for transparency around the prosecution of crimes, as per the Texas Attorney General.
