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This article is issued with Texan Editorial Board and Texas Tribune.
A group of state and national media -organizations, including in the Texas, propublica and Texas Tribune, is arguing in the court that recorded in Texas Prosecutor General The case of Ken Pokstan’s divorce should be accessible to visit.
Organization filed his request to intervene In the district court of the Colin county, which is engaged in the case of Pokon on Tuesday. Submission requires the court to change July decision to seal the records of the caseClaiming that both the Prosecutor General and his wife, the state senator Angela Pokstan, are elected officials who are subject to public control. Documents must be available for “consideration and check” with disabilities, the media -organizations note.
“The grounds that are allegedly divorce and disposal of property are of significant interest, as they are of honesty in public positions, potential use of state resources and transparency in court,” the media -organizations claim.
Organizations noted that family rights acts across the country, including divorce, are considered the public and that the political positions of the couple in Texas and the decisions of Podi in April about run for us Senate Add to public interests.
Pokstan served for more than ten years in the House of Representatives Texas and the Texas Senate before the Attorney General in 2014. Angela Pokstan was first elected to the Senate of the state in 2018.
“Where, as here, the parties are not private citizens, but elected constitutional officers, the need for transparency is enhanced, and not decreasing,” the statement reads. “The accusations that may assume that abuse of marriage assets, concealment of financial information or personal behavior that do not meet public responsibility are not only private – they have public consequences.”
Eight Subscribed Organizations -Dow Jones & Co. (Publisher The Wall Street Journal), Washington Post, Hearst newspapers (owned by American American Stan Austin, Houston Chronicle and San Antonio-Express-Nuus), PROPULICA, Texas Lawbook, Texas Observer, Texas Tribune and The Texas’S’SWORK.
Angela Pada Filed on divorce In July, accusing her husband of adultery. Soon, She demanded all records In this case, it will be placed under the seal, claiming that it “will not adversely affect health and security.”
Judge Ray Bellada in mid -July. Then he gave up himself. It is unclear why, but White and his wife, also the District Court Judge in the Colin District, have been donated by Paxtons in the past.
The current judge who is the presidency in this case is Lindsey Wein.
After the news about the divorce became public, Ken Pokstan has published On the social media website, he and his wife “decided to start a new section in our lives.” He attributed a divorce with the work of political enemies. In court his lawyer filed filed A short general refusal A petition for the divorce of Angela Pokstan.
In its application, the records of the records, the media organizations say that the Potista is accused of incorrectly six times, being in the chosen position, including fraud, office abuse and self-government.
In one of the most serious cases he was is charged with several crimes In 2015, he allegedly urges investors to buy McCini, Texas, a technology firm, not to tell them that he had financial interest in the company, and without registering the state before contacting customers for an investment firm. After many years in court, Pokstan has cut the deal do public services instead of judgment. In this case, he did not admit guilt and was not convicted of the crime.
Then, in 2023, the Texas House forced him for allegedly official violations, some of him is related to the allegations that he changed political services with the company donor in exchange for the work for the woman with which he allegedly had a novel. Podista called it a political hunt for witches and denied that he had violated the law.
After the trial, Texas Senate justified it And he was restored to the post.
“These persistent, serious and high-profile questions raise questions about AH Pokstan’s behavior in the state position and its loyalty to the law,” the organization claims.
The assets of the couples that were carefully studied during impeachment The process will be the subject of divorce.
Capes purchased several houses and parcels of land in several states but For years failed to disclose Them on the application of state ethics.
This summer, after the Texas edition revealed the lack of disclosure of informationcouple List more information About the acquisition of property on its annual financial reporting. In A Note the documentsPoda said that he believed that the disclosure rules are cloudy and controversial, and that he only reveals the property that “continues to have bank notes served by the filler and/or husband and wife of Filler.”
Angela Pokstan asked for a “disproportionate share” of the couple’s assets in her original divorce submission that Received in the Texas Editorial Board To record records. She wanted their Mack -Kini home, and the case is in consideration, also exclusive access to her business.
She also wants Ken Poda to admit the guilt in the marriage.
Lawyers Ken and Angela Pokstan did not immediately respond to the requests to comment on the media request.
Lauren McGohi is a journalist from the Texas edition, cooperation between NPR and public radio stations in Texas. She is in the corner in Austin. Get to her in (e -mail is protected).
