Paxton and Cruz's MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL staff shakeup!!!

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan."
Proverbs 29:2

[Author's Note: Enjoy the Texas Observer's conniption fit over Jeff Mateer here.]

Wasn't expecting this:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced the appointment of Jeff Mateer as First Assistant Attorney General. Mateer replaces Chip Roy, who resigned to pursue other endeavors.

“The addition of Jeff Mateer as First Assistant Attorney General will have immediate impact on the agency with positive long-term effects that will strengthen our work for Texas for generations,” stated Ken Paxton. “Jeff brings a wealth of real-world experience as a seasoned trial and appellate attorney with broad and varied litigation experience spanning over 25 years of legal practice.”

“I am honored that General Paxton has chosen me to lead in the Attorney General’s office at this critical time in Texas,” Jeff Mateer said. “I look forward to working with General Paxton in defending Texas and protecting our state from a far too often overreaching federal government.”

For the past six years, Mateer served as General Counsel of First Liberty Institute, a national religious liberty law firm, where he oversaw and directed its legal team. Prior to joining First Liberty Institute, Mateer was in private litigation practice with the Dallas law firm of Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP and subsequently small litigation boutique firms for nearly two decades.

....

During his career, Mateer has represented clients ranging from large international organizations to local businesses, schools, ministries, churches and individuals in complex federal and state court actions involving religious liberty, civil rights, employment, intellectual property and business matters. He has tried numerous jury and bench trials in both federal and state courts, and has successfully argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Texas appellate courts.

Mateer received his undergraduate education at Dickinson College, where he graduated with honors in 1987, and his legal education at Southern Methodist University, where he graduated with honors in 1990. He is licensed to practice law by the state of Texas and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and all Texas state and federal district courts.

Chip Roy served the Attorney General’s office for the past 15 months. Under his leadership, Mr. Roy oversaw nine lawsuits against the Obama administration, championed the work of the attorney general for Texas House Bill 2, and helped lead the fight against human trafficking in Texas.

Which begs the next question: What exactly is Chip Roy going to do?!?

The Trusted Leadership PAC, a super PAC created to consolidate support for the candidacy of Senator Ted Cruz for President, today announced that Chip Roy is joining the team as its Executive Director.

Roy served as Chief of Staff to Senator Cruz during Cruz’s first two years as Senator, from 2013-2014. During that time, Roy worked side-by-side with the Senator in the fight against Obamacare, the fight to stop the Gang-of-Eight amnesty bill and the fight to stop a gun registry bill.

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“Trusted Leadership PAC is a great team dedicated to electing Senator Cruz to the White House at a time when his leadership, integrity and willingness to stand up for the people against the Washington power-brokers is sorely needed to restore the great promise of America,” Roy said. “It was an honor to fight alongside him in the Senate and I am excited to work in support of his candidacy when so much is at stake for the future of our country.”

Most recently, Roy served as First Assistant Attorney General of Texas where he managed a 4100 person agency that sued the Obama administration nine times, including the successful halt to both the President’s so-called clean power plan and his unconstitutional executive amnesty.

Bottom Line: While we've met both Jeff Mateer and Chip Roy, we don't know either gentleman well.   We do know, however, that many people we respect hold these two in VERY high regard.  They will serve state of Texas and the Cruz for President effort very well.