Attorney General Ken Paxton blocked from investigating LGBTQ+ advocacy group
Judge Amy Clark Meachum issued a temporary injunction saying PFLAG Inc. would suffer "immediate and irreparable injury" if the organization had to hand over information with potentially sensitive information that identified its members to Paxton's office. She also set a trial date for the case on June 10, signaling Monday that PFLAG "would likely prevail" at that time.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Travis County judge made a decision Monday to keep blocking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from investigating an LGBTQ+ nonprofit that provides support to families with transgender children.
Judge Amy Clark Meachum issued a temporary injunction saying PFLAG Inc. would suffer "immediate and irreparable injury" if the organization had to hand over information with potentially sensitive information that identified its members to Paxton's office. She also set a trial date for the case on June 10, signaling Monday that PFLAG "would likely prevail" at that time.
PFLAG received two civil investigative demands on Feb. 9 from the Attorney General’s Office to turn over documents, communications and information related to its work helping families in Texas with transgender children. Attorneys from the state said in court Monday these requests are related to an insurance fraud investigation they're conducting into medical providers offering transition-related health care to minors despite Senate Bill 14, which banned it as an option in the state.
Another judge previously issued a temporary restraining order related to this matter.
The lawyers representing PFLAG argued in court they believed these investigative demands are "retaliation" for the organization being involved in two other lawsuits against the state, which are both currently on hold. Those are over Gov. Abbott's order for the state to investigate families with transgender kids for child abuse and the law that bans gender-affirming care for minors.
Attorneys from Paxton's office said these civil demands are "not end-runs" to get information for these two other lawsuits. They even said they're modifying their requests to specify their office does not want any membership lists or membership information from PFLAG. However, Judge Meachum still granted the temporary injunction.
The PFLAG lawyers said in court Monday these requests, though, had a "chilling effect" on how it operates in Texas. Aaron Ridings, an executive vice president for PFLAG, testified that the nonprofit already suffered a loss in volunteers and experiencing a decrease in in-person meetings for its support groups throughout the state.
"They are concerned about being on the attorney general's radar," Ridings told Paxton's lawyers during cross-examination.