‘Clown’: Texas AG Ken Paxton snaps at ‘spiraling’ Cornyn after fiery court jabs

Texas' MAGA attorney general, Ken Paxton, snapped Friday night at Republican Sen. John Cornyn for taking a shot at him in a legal document supporting the state's lawsuit trying to vacate a Democratic lawmaker's seat.

Cornyn filed an amicus letter with the state Supreme Court in support of Gov. Greg Abbott's lawsuit seeking to vacate state Rep. Gene Wu's seat after Democratic lawmakers fled the state to thwart a GOP scheme to redistrict the state to boost the party's slim House majority. Wu is the chair of the Texas House Democrats.

"Having fled the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas Legislature, Respondent and other absconding legislators are blocking official legislative business," wrote Cornyn.

Later in the letter, he took multiple shots at Paxton, with whom Cornyn faces a bitter primary battle for his seat.

"Governor Abbott filed this petition for writ of quo warranto after the Texas Attorney General delayed taking action to remove the absconding legislators. Initially, the Attorney General filed a pleading in this Court seeking to undercut efforts to bring legislators back to Texas. Next, the Texas Attorney General filed a Hail Mary proceeding out of state — with the Illinois' 8th Judicial Circuit Court, seeking 'enforcement of the rule of law of Illinois' and 'the assistance of Illinois law enforcement officials ...' but ultimately praying only that the court 'initiat[e] contempt proceedings,' and 'set [] a hearing' to consider evidence. Finally, after further delay, the Attorney General today duplicated the Governor’s petition in this Court— in some instances word for word—but then sought an individualized writ on behalf of a purported class of respondents. Surprisingly, the Attorney General again invites individualized writ on behalf of a purported class of respondents. Surprisingly, the Attorney General again invites delay by suggesting this Court should give Absoconded Democrats more time — '48 hours' after issuance of any decision — to consider their options."

Paxton didn't take kindly to the attacks, and gave Cornyn a tongue-lashing on X.

"John Cornyn has been an absolute clown this week with his Paxton Derangement Syndrome," wrote Paxton, borrowing a phrase from Trump. "But using his official office to attack me in the TX Supreme Court for working to enforce warrants in other states takes the cake. This man is spiraling."