Expect opposition to Governor Abbott's pick for Secretary of State.
The office oversees elections. Abbott has tapped Fort Worth attorney John Scott, who briefly represented former president Donald Trump in a lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania's vote in the 2020 election. That suit was tossed out. SMU political scientist Cal Jillson says "While he's a very experienced lawyer, the question is whether that experience will be put in the service of the people of the state of Texas or
of Governor Abbott's politics and Donald Trump's legal maneuvers."
Scott took himself off the Pennsylvania case after a number of days. Jillson says "When you find yourself in shark-infested waters, it's better to get out quickly."
State senator Bryan Hughes, who works for Scott's law firm also withdrew as an attorney from the case. The Mineola Republican wrote the Texas restrictive Election Integrity Bill which went into effect September first.
Scott has been an attorney for more than 30 years. In 2014 he argued on behalf of then Attorney General Abbott in favor of the Texas Voter ID law.
His appointment comes as Trump and conservative Republican activists are asking the governor to perform a full audit of the 2020 elections, even though Trump won Texas by 300,000 voters.
Abbott has resisted going that far, but says Texas is reviewing election results in four Texas counties; Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant. Of the four, Trump won only Collin.
Texas Democratic Party Voter Protection Director Rose Clouston issued the following statement:
"In appointing Scott, Abbott has turned to the lawyer who fought to protect a discriminatory voter ID law, who lost that battle in court, and now has cost the state $6.8 million in attorney fees. Texans deserve a chief election official who has dedicated their career to the protection of the right to vote and not one who participated in Trump's lawsuits undercutting our democracy."
In a statement Abbott wrote "John Scott is a proven leader with a passion for public service, and his decades of experience in election law and litigation make him the ideal choice for the Texas Secretary of State. John understands the importance of protecting the integrity of our elections and building the Texas brand on an international stage. I am confident that John's experience and expertise will enhance his oversight and leadership over the biggest and most thorough election audit in the country."
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