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u.s. news Diasabra 14 November 2020

Texas AG whistleblowers sue for wrongful Man testifies against

firing, retaliation alleged ringleader of

mosque bombing
paign donation in 2018. But
it does say the men had regu-
lar meetings this year, usu- ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) masks, gloves and equip-
ally without Paxton’s security — One of two Illinois ment to jam cellphones or
detail and without marking men who pleaded guilty police radio signals. Mc-
the meetings on the attorney to a 2017 bombing of a Whorter testified that he,
general’s official schedule. Minnesota mosque tes- Hari and Morris drove
Last week, Paul said in a de- tified that the group's about 500 miles (800 kilo-
position that Paxton recom- alleged ringleader timed meters) to Minnesota us-
mended a woman for her job the attack to precede ing paper maps and avoid-
with the developer’s com- early morning prayers ing toll roads to avoid being
pany. Paxton acknowledged and didn't tell the others tracked.
having an extramarital affair what he was planning
with the woman, then a Texas until they were nearing Hari told the men that
Senate aide, in 2018 but said their target. they were going to bomb
he ended it, according to two a mosque when they were
people who said the attorney Michael McWhorter, 31, about an hour from their
general informed them of the testified Thursday that destination. McWhorter
relationship. once he learned of Michael said that when they stopped
Paxton has not denied the al- Hari's plans, he did what for gas, Hari filled a plastic
leged affair nor responded to Hari said because he feared bottle with diesel fuel and
questions about it. he'd be shot if he didn't. gasoline.
Paxton also directed his of- Hari, 49, of Clarence, Illi-
fice to intervene in a civil nois, is the only one of the Morris has admitted that
case over a business dispute three men accused in the he threw the container into
between Paul and an Austin
(AP) — Texas Attor- plaint filed in a Travis Coun- charity, and ordered up a legal attack to go to trial. He has the mosque after smashing
pleaded not guilty to five a window. McWhorter said
ney General Ken Paxton ty court. opinion that protected some federal charges, including he lit the fuse on the pipe
abused his office to ben- of Paul's properties from be- civil rights and hate crimes, bomb and threw it inside.
efit himself, a woman Paxton’s office and a lawyer ing sold in foreclosure. stemming from the Aug. 5, Prosecutors say the device
with whom he was said to for Paul did not immediately 2017, attack on the Dar al- contained about 10 pounds
have had an affair and the respond to requests for com- But the act that prompted Farooq Islamic Center in of black gunpowder and
wealthy donor who em- ment Friday. The attorney Paxton's staff to report him the Minneapolis suburb of shook the building’s cinder
ploys her before retaliat- general has broadly denied was his hiring an outside Bloomington. No one was block walls.
ing against the members wrongdoing and cast blame lawyer to investigate Paul’s injured in the blast, but the McWhorter said Hari chose
of his staff who reported on “rogue employees and claims that the FBI broke building was damaged. Dar Al Farooq because
him to the FBI, a lawsuit their false allegations.” the law in searching of his he thought investigators
by four of the Republi- home and offices. Paxton's McWhorter and another would not suspect some-
can's former senior depu- The lawsuit paints a pic- staff concluded the allega- man, 25-year-old Joe Mor- one from Illinois and Hari
ties claims. ture of the struggle between tions were outside their ju- ris, pleaded guilty to their believed it was a “terror-
Texas’ top law enforcement risdiction and unsupported roles in the bombing. Mor- ist training school.” Some
The lawsuit adds to the deep- official and the employees by evidence, according to the ris was also expected to tes- young people from Minne-
ening legal and political peril convinced he's been breaking complaint. tify. Hari's attorney, James sota who traveled to Syria
for the high-profile Texas of- the law. It presents four in- Becker, told jurors that to join the Islamic State
ficial, who is facing calls for stances in which the whistle- The outside lawyer obtained McWhorter and Morris group had worshipped at
his resignation and a poten- blowers allege Paxton abused 39 grand jury subpoenas that have changed their stories Dar al-Farooq, but mosque
tial federal investigation over his position to help Paul and were beyond “the appropri- and were testifying to try leaders were never accused
his staff's allegations that he offers details that raise new ate scope” of the case, the to get reduced sentences. of any wrongdoing.
committed bribery, abuse of questions, including Pax- complaint states. It says they They both face mandatory
office and other crimes. ton allegedly “routinely cy- appeared to be designed to minimum sentences of 35 It took seven months for the
In September, top employees cling through ‘burner’ cell aid Paul's various civil suits years in prison. FBI to find the men. Dur-
of Paxton’s office reported phones.” and “to harass law enforce- ing that time, McWhorter
him to federal authorities for Last year, the FBI raided ment agents and federal pros- McWhorter testified that said, Hari named their
alleged crimes they say he Paul's home and offices as ecutors.” he was in financial trouble group the “White Rabbits”
committed in assisting Aus- part of an investigation that's in the summer of 2017 and recruited others. Hari
tin real estate developer Nate yet to result in any public “Paxton and Paul were using when Hari offered him gave them military ranks,
Paul. Each of them has since charges. their so-called ‘special pros- work in "security" for his calling himself “captain,"
resigned, been put on leave ecutor’ to bring the weight company, Minnesota Pub- and split them into “secu-
or been fired. The lawsuit says Paxton of the OAG to bear on Paul’s lic Radio News reported. rity” and “assault” teams.
leaned on his deputies to enemies,” the complaint Hari gave them assault ri-
On Thursday, three of the green light the release to the states. In the days before the at-
tack, McWhorter said he fles, uniforms and patches,
lawyers who accused Paxton developer’s lawyers of state drove with Hari to a gun the Star Tribune reported.
and the attorney general's and federal records related The lawsuit was brought by shop in Indiana, where McWhorter said Hari
former head of law enforce- to the searches. The whistle- James Blake Brickman, Da- Hari purchased black pow- spoke often about his ha-
ment sued, claiming Paxton blowers, however, felt this vid Maxwell, J. Mark Penley der. McWhorter said that tred of Islam and Muslims.
ousted them as retaliation would scuttle long-standing and Ryan Vassar. The first on Aug. 4, Hari told him to When the FBI started to
and then smeared them in policies that exempt records three were fired and Vassar leave his cellphone at home close in, the men fled to the
the press and to lawmakers. tied to ongoing investigations was put on leave. and pack enough clothes countryside, where they
from state public records law, for a month, and that “we survived on vienna sausag-
“Paxton responded to the re- "and likely spark innumer- They are suing for reinstate- were going to work.” es and ditch water.
port immediately and with able lawsuits.” ment, lost wages and other
ferocity, as though he was damages. They've also asked McWhorter said Hari “I was scared, I didn’t know
trying consciously to show The lawsuit does not de- local prosecutors to fine Pax- packed the car with assault what to do,” McWhorter
Texans exactly what retalia- tail a theory of why Paxton ton $15,000 for each viola- rifles, a sledgehammer, said.
tion against whistleblowers would be helping Paul, who tion of the Texas Whistle-
looks like," states the com- gave him a $25,000 cam- blower Act.