(Bloomberg) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has entered into settlement discussions with three former aides who claim he fired them for reporting bribery and other misconduct to the FBI.

In a joint filing, three of the four former aides who sued Paxton under the state’s whistleblower law asked the Texas Supreme Court to pause consideration of the case while they negotiate a possible settlement, with a mediation tentatively scheduled for Feb. 1. The court has yet to respond to their request.

James “Blake” Brickman — the state’s former deputy attorney general and the fourth whistleblower — opposed the request, writing in a separate motion to the court that he is not participating in settlement talks and does not support any delays in the case.

The four alleged in their suit that Paxton retaliated against them after they accused him of corruptly aiding a prominent real estate investor and campaign donor. The issue before the state’s high court is whether Paxton has immunity under the state’s whistleblower law as an elected official. In October, a state appeals court sided with the whistleblowers.

The allegations have added to the controversy surrounding Paxton, a Republican who has cultivate a reputation as a conservative firebrand. A close ally of former President Donald Trump, Paxton brought an unsuccessful US Supreme Court case seeking to overturn the 2020 election. He has since filed several lawsuits challenging President Joe Biden’s policies.

In their suit, the whistleblowers claim they were fired after alerting the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Texas Rangers and other law enforcement agencies to bribery and abuse of office committed by Paxton on behalf of Nate Paul, an embattled Austin real estate developer who contributed money to Paxton’s political campaign.

Among other allegations, they say that Paxton tried to use the powers of his office during the pandemic to help Paul by preventing real estate foreclosure sales and retained a lawyer to investigate the developer’s adversaries.

The FBI has opened an investigation into the allegations, but no charges have been filed. Paxton has denied wrongdoing.

The case is Office of the Attorney General v. Brickman, et al, 21-1027, Texas Supreme Court.

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