The Perplexing Conservative Support for Ken Paxton

Sept 12, 2023

"Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent - the LORD detests them both." - Proverbs 17:15

It seems nowadays any charge brought against a political official is deemed “politically motivated.” You see this commonly in developing countries, where the rule of law is suspect at best, but not in the United States of America. Donald Trump uses this playbook to great effect, as his supporters will believe him no matter what the evidence says. Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, is copying his mentor by using the same playbook, despite his open and abhorrent sins.

The continued support from some conservative groups and parts of the Republican party is astounding. It used to be that if you were accused of something relatively serious, it would torpedo your political ambitions. This was especially true of the Republican Party, who held their leaders to exceptionally high standards. Not so today. It seems any member of the Republican Party, when accused of a crime or egregious error, can in turn blame one of the media, radical left, RINOs, or anything else, and many of their constituents would believe them.

It did not have to be this way. I truly understand the fear and quasi-despair at the direction the country is heading – but that doesn’t call for conservatives to demonize the opposition, nor support any Republican at whatever cost.

The day before he testified, I asked Mark Penley, the former federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Texas and one of Paxton’s whistleblowers, why conservatives and evangelicals still vehemently support him. Mr. Penley, a strong conservative and devout evangelical, said that like other conservatives, he supported Paxton for his pro-life, pro-family, traditional value policies. Other Republicans, who didn’t have direct insight into the corrupt actions and true character of the attorney general, refuse to believe, or don’t want to believe, that one of their own is not who he says he is.

My message to the conservative right in Texas – you soil our message and service to others by empowering this corrupt and sinful man. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:15-20: “every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit… thus by their fruit you will recognize him.” Ken Paxton has shown he says one thing, and does another. The fruit he produces is rotten. Christians must stand up and rebuke Ken Paxton, and support someone else.