Latest news with #Reitz
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump DOJ Veteran Aaron Reitz Announces Run For Texas AG
(Texas Scorecard) – Aaron Reitz, a former deputy attorney general under Ken Paxton and recent Trump administration appointee, announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for Texas attorney general. Reitz made the announcement Thursday, a day after resigning as assistant attorney general for legal policy under Pam Bondi in the Department of Justice. He previously served as Paxton's deputy attorney general for legal strategy and as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. 'We are in a fight for the soul of Texas, our nation, and Western civilization itself,' said Reitz in a campaign statement. 'This is no time for half-measures or untested cowards.' 'As Attorney General, I'll use every ounce of legal firepower to defend President Trump, crush the radical Left, advance the America and Texas First agenda, and look out for everyday Texans,' he added. Reitz said he would use the office to pursue policies aligned with President Donald Trump's agenda, including increased border security, mass deportations, opposition to progressive prosecutors, and efforts to uncover election fraud. He also pledged to target Big Tech, support law enforcement, and defend constitutional rights. 'I led the fight on virtually every major legal campaign that Texans care about,' said Reitz, referring to his time under Paxton. 'I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Paxton to challenge the 2020 election when others ran scared.' His campaign announcement included praise from Trump, who described Reitz as 'a true MAGA attorney' and 'a warrior for our Constitution.' Reitz becomes the latest Republican to announce a campaign for attorney general, joining State Sen. Mayes Middleton. The race comes as current Attorney General Ken Paxton is not seeking re-election and is instead running for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. After Reitz resigned from his federal position yesterday, he was greeted with support from those in the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aaron Reitz, top DOJ official and former Paxton aide, launches bid for Texas attorney general
(The Texas Tribune) — Aaron Reitz, a former senior official at the Department of Justice and veteran of the Texas conservative legal movement, is running for Texas attorney general. Reitz made his rumored bid public Thursday morning, launching a campaign website that touts his experience 'on the frontlines of our state's and nation's most important battles.' Until recently, Reitz led the DOJ's Office of Legal Policy, a high-ranking department that advises the Trump administration on legal strategy, legislation and judicial appointments. He left the post Wednesday, penning a resignation letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in which he touted the agency's strides in restoring 'a justice system corroded by left-wing lawfare' during the 72 days he spent there. Before joining the Trump administration, Reitz was chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and deputy attorney general for legal strategy under Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Reitz is the second candidate to declare for the March 2026 Republican primary to succeed Paxton, who is forgoing reelection to challenge GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. State Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Republican from Galveston, entered the race for attorney general in April. State Sen. Mayes Middleton running for Texas Attorney General Middleton brings more electoral experience than Reitz, whose one effort to run for the state House earned him less than 15% of the primary vote. But Reitz brings experience in the trenches of the conservative legal juggernaut that is the Texas Office of the Attorney General. He led the agency's barrage of lawsuits against the Biden administration, including the failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election in four key battleground states. A slew of Trump officials applauded Reitz's service and cheered his return to Texas on X. FBI Director Kash Patel, who also rose to his perch through conservative legal circles, voiced tacit support for Reitz's attorney general bid Wednesday, calling him 'a personal friend, great American, and a relentless advocate for law and order' before adding, 'now it's time to deliver on his next mission.' On a 2021 podcast, Reitz laid out his philosophy that the Texas attorney general's office considers itself to be at war with 'the forces that want to destroy the American order, root and branch.' 'Our soldiers are lawyers, and our weapons are lawsuits, and our tactic is lawfare,' he said. 'This is the project that we're engaged in.' On the campaign website, he said Texas had 'the single most important state attorney general office in the country,' and if elected, he would ensure its 'full weight' is behind Trump's agenda. 'This is how we will defend the sovereignty of the United States at our southern border, preserve Texans' Constitutional rights, eradicate wokeness in all its forms, and ensure every Texan has a chance to succeed,' the website says. In nominating Reitz to the Justice Department, Trump called him a 'true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution.' The Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination on a party-line vote, after significant pushback from Democrats. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the panel, called him a 'danger to the rule of law' and 'completely unfit to serve in any role in the Department of Justice.' Democrats homed in on Reitz's statement from his confirmation hearing that there is 'no hard and fast rule' on whether public officials are always bound by court rulings, as well as thousands of deleted tweets showing his staunch opposition to gay marriage, abortion and criminal justice reform. Reitz, a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Texas School of Law, also served in the Marine Corps. He was deployed to Afghanistan and remains a member of the Marine Corps Reserve. Disclosure: Texas A&M University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FIRST ON FOX: High ranking DOJ official resigns post to run for attorney general in red state
FIRST ON FOX: Aaron Reitz, a top official in President Donald Trump's Department of Justice, has resigned his post in the administration to run for attorney general of Texas, entering what he is calling a "fight for the soul of Texas." Reitz, a former Marine and chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, served in the Trump administration under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy. Following speculation of a possible run for Texas attorney general, one of the most powerful positions in the state, Reitz resigned his position with the DOJ on Wednesday and officially launched his campaign the day after. "If we lose Texas, we lose the Republic," Reitz said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 205 Arrested In Fbi Child Sex Operation, Patel And Bondi Announce "This is no time for half-measures or untested cowards," he said, adding, "We are in a fight for the soul of Texas, our nation, and Western civilization itself." Read On The Fox News App "As Attorney General, I'll use every ounce of legal firepower to defend President Trump, crush the radical Left, advance the America and Texas First agenda, and look out for everyday Texans," he said. This comes as current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running in hopes of replacing incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in one of the most hotly contested primary races of the year. Reitz pledged to partner with the Trump administration to "clean up the border catastrophe with mass deportations and enhanced border security, take down the Soros-backed district attorneys, obliterate woke indoctrination, expose and root out election fraud, and defend our Constitutional rights without apology." John Cornyn Scores Tim Scott Endorsement, But John Rich Calls Cornyn 'The Lindsey Graham Of Texas' Reitz touted his conservative bona fides, saying, "I've spent my entire career in the trenches with the toughest conservatives in America." He is likely to garner endorsements from some of the country's leading Republicans, with DOJ officials, including Bondi, giving him a string of fond farewells after he announced his departure. In an X post Bondi said: "I'm proud to have worked with @aaron_reitz at @TheJusticeDept. Aaron played a central role in our work to Make America Safe Again — his next chapter will surely contribute to @POTUS's mission, and I look forward to seeing what Aaron does next in his home state of Texas!" FBI Director Kash Patel also chimed in, saying "Aaron is a personal friend, great American, and a relentless advocate for law and order. Thanks for serving our country, now it's time to deliver on his next mission. Good luck." Bondi Announces One Of Largest Fentanyl Seizures In Us History Before serving in the Trump administration and on Cruz's staff, Reitz previously held the position of Texas Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy under Paxton. In December, Paxton spoke very highly of Reitz, saying, "he's a proven and effective fighter for our Constitution and American Values" who was "our 'offensive coordinator' leading my very aggressive Texas-v-Biden docket." Paxton said that while working in his office Reitz "spearheaded some of our agency's most consequential actions on border security, immigration, Big Tech, Covid, energy, the environment, and election integrity." Texas Republican state Senator Mayes Middleton, another pro-Trump conservative, is also running for attorney article source: FIRST ON FOX: High ranking DOJ official resigns post to run for attorney general in red state
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aaron Reitz, former top DOJ official and Paxton aide, launches bid for Texas attorney general
Aaron Reitz, a former senior official at the Department of Justice and veteran of the Texas conservative legal movement, is running for Texas attorney general. Reitz made his rumored bid public Thursday morning, launching a campaign website that touts his experience "on the frontlines of our state's and nation's most important battles." 'We are in a fight for the soul of Texas, our nation and Western Civilization itself,' Reitz said in a press release. 'If we lose Texas, we lose the Republic. As attorney general, I'll use every ounce of legal firepower to defend President Trump, crush the radical Left, advance the America and Texas First agenda, and look out for everyday Texans.' Until recently, Reitz led the DOJ's Office of Legal Policy, a high-ranking department that advises the Trump administration on legal strategy, legislation and judicial appointments. He left the post Wednesday, penning a resignation letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in which he touted the agency's strides in restoring "a justice system corroded by left-wing lawfare" during the 72 days he spent there. Before joining the Trump administration, Reitz was chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and deputy attorney general for legal strategy under Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Reitz is the second candidate to declare for the March 2026 Republican primary to succeed Paxton, who is forgoing reelection to challenge GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. State Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Republican from Galveston, entered the race for attorney general in April. Middleton brings more electoral experience than Reitz, whose one effort to run for the state House earned him less than 15% of the primary vote. But Reitz brings experience in the trenches of the conservative legal juggernaut that is the Texas Office of the Attorney General. He led the agency's barrage of lawsuits against the Biden administration, including the failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election in four key battleground states. A slew of Trump officials applauded Reitz's service and cheered his return to Texas on X. FBI Director Kash Patel, who also rose to his perch through conservative legal circles, voiced tacit support for Reitz's attorney general bid Wednesday, calling him "a personal friend, great American, and a relentless advocate for law and order" before adding, "now it's time to deliver on his next mission." On a 2021 podcast, Reitz laid out his philosophy that the Texas attorney general's office considers itself to be at war with 'the forces that want to destroy the American order, root and branch.' 'Our soldiers are lawyers, and our weapons are lawsuits, and our tactic is lawfare,' he said. 'This is the project that we're engaged in.' On the campaign website, he said Texas had 'the single most important state attorney general office in the country,' and if elected, he would ensure its 'full weight' is behind Trump's agenda. 'This is how we will defend the sovereignty of the United States at our southern border, preserve Texans' Constitutional rights, eradicate wokeness in all its forms, and ensure every Texan has a chance to succeed,' the website says. In nominating Reitz to the Justice Department, Trump called him a 'true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution.' The Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination on a party-line vote, after significant pushback from Democrats. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the panel, called him a 'danger to the rule of law' and 'completely unfit to serve in any role in the Department of Justice.' Democrats homed in on Reitz's statement from his confirmation hearing that there is 'no hard and fast rule' on whether public officials are always bound by court rulings, as well as thousands of deleted tweets showing his staunch opposition to gay marriage, abortion and criminal justice reform. Reitz, a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Texas School of Law, also served in the Marine Corps. He was deployed to Afghanistan and remains a member of the Marine Corps Reserve. Disclosure: Texas A&M University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senior Trump DOJ official expected to depart, run for Texas AG
Senior Department of Justice official Aaron Reitz is expected to depart the Trump administration as soon as next week and pursue a run for Texas attorney general, according to two people familiar with the situation. Reitz currently serves as the assistant attorney general for the DOJ's Office of Legal Policy. Confirmed at the end of March on a party-line vote, Reitz has focused at DOJ on recommending legal actions aimed at pushing corporations to end certain DEI initiatives, as well as other priorities. Trump described Reitz as 'a true MAGA warrior' when announcing his nomination in December. Prior to the DOJ, Reitz served as chief of staff to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and also worked as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's deputy. Paxton recently announced a challenge to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Reitz, the DOJ, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. The Office of Legal Policy plays a key role at the DOJ: Reitz and his team not only advise Attorney General Pam Bondi, but also work with Congress and are often involved with helping select federal judges. Reitz is expected to enter what could become a crowded attorney general race in Texas, though it remains wide open as of now. Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton announced his bid for the post a few weeks ago. John Bash, one of Elon Musk's lawyers, briefly entered the race but dropped out last week, citing a health scare in his family. It remains unclear who Trump will nominate to replace Reitz. Reitz came under scrutiny for thousands of deleted social media posts during his confirmation process, CBS News reported.
