Ken Paxton’s Rap Sheet
Here’s what you get back from Google if you search on James Talarico’s opponent, Ken Paxton, on his record of corruption.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s career has been heavily scrutinized over a multi-decade record of corruption allegations, legal battles, and internal revolts. Despite these challenges, Paxton has maintained his political standing, securing the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2026. He has consistently denied all criminal wrongdoing, attributing the actions against him to political motivation.
Felony Securities Fraud Indictment (2015–2025)
* The Charges: In July 2015, shortly after taking office as Texas Attorney General, Paxton was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and one count of failing to register with state regulators.
* The Allegations: He was accused of misleading investors in 2011 by convincing them to buy stock in a tech startup called Servergy Inc. without disclosing that he was being compensated by the company to recruit them.
* The Resolution: After the case was delayed for nearly nine years, Paxton entered into an 18-month pre-trial diversion agreement in March 2024 to avoid a trial. The deal required him to pay roughly $271,000 in restitution, complete 100 hours of community service, and take 15 hours of legal ethics training. Because he completed the terms without entering a guilty plea, the felony charges were officially dismissed in 2025, leaving him without a criminal conviction record.
Whistleblower Scandal and Abuse of Office (2020)
* The Revolt: In October 2020, seven high-ranking conservative deputies within Paxton's own office reported him to the FBI.
* The Allegations: The whistleblowers accused Paxton of abuse of office, bribery, and improper influence. They alleged he used the weight of the Attorney General's office to benefit a wealthy Austin real estate developer and political donor, Nate Paul. In return, Paul allegedly provided employment for a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair and helped pay for renovations on Paxton’s home.
* The Retaliation Lawsuit: After reporting him, the aides were either fired or pushed out. Four of them sued Paxton under the Texas Whistleblower Act. In April 2025, a Travis County district court judge ordered a $6.6 million judgment against Paxton's office for wrongful termination.
Texas House Impeachment and Senate Acquittal (2023)
* The Impeachment: In May 2023, the Republican-led Texas House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (121–33) to impeach Paxton on 20 articles including bribery, unfitness for office, and obstruction of justice. This historic vote automatically suspended him from office.
* The Acquittal: In September 2023, the Texas Senate conducted a highly publicized two-week trial. The Senate voted 16–14 to acquit Paxton on all 16 articles presented, failing to reach the two-thirds threshold required to permanently remove him. His wife, State Senator Angela Paxton, was required to attend but was barred from voting in the trial. Paxton was subsequently reinstated as Attorney General.
Federal Investigation and Closure (2020–2025)
* The Probe: Following the 2020 whistleblower reports, the FBI launched a formal corruption probe into Paxton. The investigation was eventually taken over by Justice Department public integrity officials in Washington, D.C..
* The Closure: In early 2025, during the final weeks of the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Justice quietly declined to pursue federal prosecution or bring criminal charges against Paxton, effectively closing the multi-year investigation.
Financial and Personal Controversies (2025–2026)
* Real Estate Disclosures: Investigations during his legal battles revealed that Paxton failed to list multiple out-of-state luxury properties—including a $1.6 million property—on his mandatory state financial disclosure forms for years.
* Divorce Filings: In July 2025, Senator Angela Paxton filed for divorce after 38 years of marriage, explicitly citing adultery and a separation date of June 2024. Legal proceedings revealed details linking Paxton's alleged attempts to hide the affair to his official misconduct allegations, including using a fake Uber account under the alias "Dave P" to visit his mistress.
For comprehensive archives of these legal proceedings, public timelines are documented via The Texas Tribune Impeachment Archive and legal case tracking on Ballotpedia.