Here’s the way the regular GOP in Texas has run, for decades — and is now run — under Gov. Abbott. [This guy is Gov. Abbott’s right hand, and official… chief law officer of the Courts of Texas.]

The time-line: Lie about your corrupt bribery schemes, and when whistleblowers in your own office report it — attack THEM.

Then stall for three to five years.

Then, on pain of nearly losing your law license (in state disciplinary proceedings)… agree to pay Texas’ own state taxpayer dollars (for your personal wrongdoing)… to the tune of $3.3 million — and just… issue an apology?!

D A M N.

Voters in Texas sure must be gullible… and/or stupid. Here’s the bit:

…Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has agreed to apologize and pay $3.3 million in taxpayer money to four former staffers who accused him of corruption in 2020, igniting an ongoing FBI investigation of the three-term Republican.

Under terms of a preliminary lawsuit settlement filed Friday, Paxton made no admission of wrongdoing to accusations of bribery and abuse of office, which he has denied for years and called politically motivated.

But Paxton did commit to making a remarkable public apology toward some of his formerly trusted advisers whom he fired or forced out after they reported him to the FBI. He called them “rogue employees” after they accused Paxton of misusing his office to help one of his campaign contributors, who also employed a woman with whom the attorney general acknowledged having an extramarital affair….

“Attorney General Ken Paxton accepts that plaintiffs acted in a manner that they thought was right and apologizes for referring to them as ‘rogue employees,'” the final settlement must state, according to court records.

In all, eight members of Paxton’s senior staff joined in the extraordinary revolt in 2020 and either resigned or were fired. The settlement is with four of them who sued under Texas’ whistleblower law….

Charming. Out, laughing at Hinderaker’s praise of Texas — as a state that works well under GOP leadership, last night.