Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to President Biden: I'll see you in court, frequently

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who famously used the power of his office to support fellow Republican Donald Trump and thwart the policies of his Democratic predecessor, vowed Wednesday to vigorously oppose an hours-old Biden administration he labeled as lawless.

While President Joe Biden was laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Paxton tweeted a message congratulating the new president, saying: "On Inauguration Day, I wish our country the best."

But Paxton immediately shifted tone, accusing Biden of preparing to embark on a spree of illegal activity.

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"I promise my fellow Texans and Americans that I will fight against the many unconstitutional and illegal actions that the new administration will take, challenge federal overreach that infringes on Texans' rights, and serve as a major check against the administration's lawlessness," Paxton wrote.

© American-Statesman file photo Federal officials are investigating allegations of bribery, abuse of office and other crimes involving Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Paxton, whose office filed 27 lawsuits seeking to kill policies initiated by then-President Barack Obama, signaled that he relishes a return to his role as the leading legal opponent of the Democrat in the White House.

He ended his message with: "Texas First! Law and order always!"

Paxton did not list the Biden policies he opposes, but the new Democratic president issued orders Wednesday to overturn Trump's ban on travelers from several Muslim countries (which Paxton had defended in legal briefs), cancel permits for the Keystone XL pipeline (which U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said would kick a struggling oil and gas industry while it's down), and stop construction of the wall on the southern border.

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Biden also has promised to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, the Obama-era initiative that offers deportation protection to young immigrants who were brought illegally into the country as children.

Undeterred by last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld DACA, Paxton is pressing ahead with a separate federal lawsuit to overturn the program.

In 2018, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen determined that Obama exceeded his authority when he created the DACA program, and Paxton has asked Hanen to follow through on that ruling by issuing an injunction barring the federal government from approving or renewing any more permits to young immigrants.

Hanen held a hearing on the case in late December, but he has not yet ruled.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to President Biden: I'll see you in court, frequently