Ken Paxton

Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas, has faced multiple investigations and scandals throughout his career. In 2015, Paxton was indicted on three state felony charges: two counts of securities fraud and one count of failing to register as an investment adviser. The case involved allegations that he recruited investors for Servergy Inc. without disclosing he was earning a commission. Paxton pleaded not guilty and maintained the prosecution was politically motivated. In March 2024, the case ended in a pretrial agreement requiring him to perform 100 hours of community service, take ethics courses, and pay $271,000 in restitution; the charges were dismissed in 2025. A related 2016 civil enforcement action by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was dismissed by a federal judge in 2017. In 2020, senior staff members accused Paxton of bribery and abusing his office to benefit real estate developer and campaign donor Nate Paul. These allegations included using his office to assist Paul in legal disputes, accepting home renovations from him, and helping a woman with whom Paxton allegedly had an extramarital affair secure employment. Four whistleblowers who reported him to the FBI were fired and subsequently sued under the Texas Whistleblower Act. In 2025, a district court awarded the whistleblowers $6.6 million; Paxton appealed but later dropped the appeal. These whistleblower claims formed the basis of Paxton's May 2023 impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives on 16 articles, including bribery, obstruction of justice, and misapplication of public resources. He was suspended from office but acquitted of all articles by the Texas Senate in September 2023. Additionally, the State Bar of Texas sued Paxton for professional misconduct regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, a case that remains ongoing. Paxton has denied all allegations of corruption and wrongdoing.