In dueling lawsuits, current and former employees of the attorney general’s office sling allegations that threaten to intrude on Paxton’s U.S. Senate bid.

The creation of the new accrediting agency comes as Republicans have criticized existing ones for reinforcing a liberal bias in the country’s higher ed institutions.

Ruben Gutierrez is challenging the constitutionality of a state law that restricts death row inmates from seeking tests that he says will prove he’s not a murderer.