The hypocrisy of Texas’ liberal media is on full display now that the SEC has investigated—but not convicted—Attorney General Ken Paxton. Outlets are calling for Paxton’s resignation while condemning the silence of Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who, like responsible officials, are waiting for facts to surface before commenting.
But where were the calls of resignation when State Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) was charged with five counts of barratry? Unlike Paxton, Reynolds was convicted, fined, and sentenced to a year in prison. Most Democrats were silent on the issue, but some like State Rep. Harold V. Dutton (D-Houston) even stood by his side.
Why weren’t top Democrats urged to speak up on behalf of their party then?
Even the Houston Chronicle jumped on the hypocrisy bandwagon. The paper issued an endorsement for Reynolds in 2013 after he was initially charged, but unsurprisingly issued an editorial in January 2016 titled “Paxton should step down,” insinuating that Paxton couldn’t effectively serve Texans amidst accusations of wrongdoing.
Reynolds posted bond so that he could appeal the case while running for reelection, since there is no legal requirement for legislators to resign if convicted of a crime. He is now in a runoff with challenger Angelique Bartholomew, a compliance director at a Houston-area medical firm.
Despite his conviction, there remains no outcry against Reynolds by the media-types who previously supported him.
Apparently the sacred principle “innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t extend to Republicans. And even when Democrats are proven guilty, Texans must look the other way. In other words, the facts simply don’t matter to liberal journalists.
