In a dramatic federal sentencing hearing Wednesday in Austin, Texas Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra delivered a blistering critique of the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump, denouncing what he claims are political interferences in prosecutions and unwarranted presidential pardons. The comments came as Ezra sentenced Texas real estate investor Nate Paul to one day in jail for submitting what federal prosecutors claim was a false financial statement to a mortgage lender.
Paul, a high-profile real estate developer in Austin, pled guilty to a single count of making a false statement to a mortgage lender under 18 U.S.C. § 1014. The charge stemmed from Paul signing a bank document in 2018 to secure a loan for a commercial property—one of hundreds of loan transactions Paul has secured over the years.
Prosecutors contend that the amount indicated on the loan form as collateral was inflated, while Judge Ezra stated during the sentencing that the misstatement led to no losses by any party, and the loan was paid in full in 2021.
Frustration with Trump
But it was Judge Ezra’s fiery statements that defined the day. From the bench, Ezra described what he claims is the DOJ’s descent from a tradition of impartiality into political entanglement, particularly during the Trump administration. “In the past, with very, very few exceptions, Attorneys General of the United States and their designees operated in a nonpartisan basis, free from political entanglements and with a willingness to uphold the rule of law based solely, and only, upon their duty to the Constitution of the United States,” Ezra said.
He took direct aim at officials who “think that their oath of office is to the President of the United States and not to the Constitution,” urging them to “rethink and reread their oath of office.” Ezra underscored that his own loyalty was to the Constitution, not to the president who appointed him. “I did not take an oath of office to support and defend Ronald Reagan, who appointed me,” he said.
Ezra stated that pardons under President Trump have been politically motivated, saying, “We have seen violent criminals pardoned. We have seen people who were convicted beyond not only a reasonable doubt, but any doubt at all of serious white-collar crimes pardoned, for no reason, it appears, other than their affiliation with a particular person or group of persons.”
He cited recent examples of DOJ behavior that he viewed as disturbing, including the firing of an Assistant U.S. Attorney “for doing what? Being candid with a federal judge in federal court and upholding their duty and responsibility to the law,” he said during the sentencing hearing.
“This kind of behavior is a slap in the face to those who believe in justice in this country,” Ezra stated.
“Bring It On”
In anticipation of possible political blowback for his remarks Judge Ezra seemed to turn his attention to an un-named member of Congress when he asked the courtroom, “Do I think what I've said today may well cause this MAGA Republican congressman here in Texas to file a declaration of impeachment against me? Maybe. Bring it on.”
Judge Ezra said Mr. Paul would face five years of supervised release, and four months of qualified home confinement that allows him to work normal hours from his downtown office, as well as attend various important functions. He also required Paul to pay a fine of $1 million within the next two years. The DOJ did not claim that the bank or any other parties in the transaction incurred losses. The bank sold the loan in question for a profit in 2020.
In his remarks, Ezra cited Paul’s community involvement, lack of criminal history, and strong family ties as important factors in his sentence. “I accept as absolutely true… that Mr. Paul is an otherwise decent man,” Ezra said.
Questions Remain
Paul has maintained for years that the DOJ and state law enforcement agencies unlawfully raided his home, office and storage facilities without warrants in August 2019. He sought assistance from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to recover his personal and business records, and to determine what the agencies were seeking or intended to claim as justification for the raids.
Paxton’s efforts to investigate Paul’s claims led to impeachment proceedings against Paxton by the state legislature in 2024—nearly five years after the raids. Paul’s attorneys claimed in a filing before Judge Ezra that Texas-based federal prosecutors encouraged Paul to testify against Paxton in the impeachment proceeding, which the attorneys said Paul refused. The DOJ brought a total of 12 charges against Paul, dropping all but one in the settlement agreement that led to the sentencing hearing.
The DOJ has not responded to Judge Ezra's statements. Paul waived his right to speak during the hearing, but submitted a letter instead. He declined a request to comment.
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