AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Fort Worth attorney John Scott as the Texas Secretary of State. The secretary of state is the chief election officer for Texas, assisting local election officials and ensuring election laws are followed uniformly.
"John Scott is a proven leader with a passion for public service, and his decades of experience in election law and litigation make him the ideal choice for the Texas Secretary of State," Abbott said. "John understands the importance of protecting the integrity of our elections and building the Texas brand on an international stage. I am confident that John's experience and expertise will enhance his oversight and leadership over the biggest and most thorough election audit in the country. I am proud to appoint John as the Texas Secretary of State and look forward to working alongside him to ensure Texas remains the best state in the nation."
Scott briefly represented former President Donald Trump in a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania. According to a report from The Texas Tribune, on Nov. 13, Scott signed on as counsel to a lawsuit filed by President Trump attempting to block the certification of Pennsylvania's election. A few days later, Scott filed a motion to withdraw as an attorney for the plaintiffs, as well as to withdraw Bryan Hughes, a Texas state senator who works for Scott's law firm, as an attorney for the case.
In addition to its role in elections, the Office of the Secretary of State also provides a repository for official business and commercial records required to be filed with the office, and the secretary publishes government rules and regulations and commissions notaries public. The secretary also serves as the keeper of the state seal and attester to the governor's signature on official documents.
In addition, the secretary serves as the senior advisor and liaison to the governor for "Texas Border and Mexican Affairs" and serves as the chief international protocol officer for Texas.
According to the governor's office, Scott is an attorney with over 33 years of experience who has successfully tried over 100 lawsuits and has experience handling cases at the United States Supreme Court; Supreme Court of Texas; United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Fifth, Seventh and Tenth Circuits; almost all Texas Courts of Appeals; United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western District Courts of Texas; Texas state courts; and the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
Scott previously served as the deputy attorney general for civil litigation for Abbott when he served as the state attorney general. Scott oversaw all civil litigation, including over 22,000 lawsuits involving Texas, according to the governor's office. Scott was then appointed the first chief operating officer of the Health and Human Services Commission.
After Scott returned to private practice, Abbott appointed him as the chair of the board for the Department of Information Resources, where he developed the strategic plan for technology and security at Texas executive branch agencies and boards.
Scott lives in Fort Worth and has offices in Austin. He has been married to his wife, Talley, for 34 years and has three sons and a grandson.
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