For a second time, lawmakers seeking to depose Robert Roberson III at the Capitol closed a hearing without hearing from the death row inmate. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton derailed efforts to have Roberson testify by filing a request for a protective order late Thursday that lawmakers criticized as a mechanism to run out the clock on their subpoena.

Brian Harrison, a conservative Republican who has typically been aligned with Paxton, gave his most forceful criticism yet of the attorney general and his GOP colleagues who have asserted inmate Robert Roberson’s conviction is unquestionable.

Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to delay legal proceedings until Jan. 13 — the day before the committee disbands — even as lawmakers vowed to continue fighting to hear from Roberson.