Challenges Faced by Ken Paxton: Obstacles and Turning Points
Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Ken Paxton. A timeline of obstacles and growth.
Ken Paxton is an American politician and lawyer currently serving as the Attorney General of Texas since 2015. A Republican, he previously served in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives. His tenure as Attorney General has been marked by legal controversies and accusations, including securities fraud charges and an impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.
1917: James E. Ferguson Impeached
In 1917, Governor James E. Ferguson was impeached, marking a significant event in Texas history, relevant due to Paxton becoming the second statewide officeholder to be impeached after Ferguson.
1933: Securities Act of 1933
The Securities Act of 1933 is relevant as Paxton was charged with violating it when the SEC filed a civil enforcement action against him in 2016.
1934: Securities Exchange Act of 1934
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is relevant as Paxton was charged with violating it when the SEC filed a civil enforcement action against him in 2016.
1975: District Judge Impeached
In 1975, a district judge in Texas was impeached, an event noted because Paxton's impeachment on May 27, 2023 made him only the third official in Texas history to be impeached.
2004: KXAN Analysis of Voter Fraud Cases
An analysis by KXAN found that 24 of 138 people convicted of voter fraud in Texas between 2004 and September 2020 spent time in jail.
2011: Paxton Sells Shares of Servergy Inc.
In 2011, Paxton sold shares of Servergy Inc., a technology company, to investors, which later led to allegations of securities fraud.
2012: Paxton Involved in Lawsuit Against Apple for E-book Price Fixing
In 2012, Ken Paxton was part of a lawsuit by 33 state attorneys general against Apple, charging the company with violating antitrust laws by conspiring with publishers to artificially raise the prices of electronic books.
June 2015: Paxton Supports Clerks Refusing Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples
In June 2015, after the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision, Ken Paxton offered support for clerks who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, stating he would be a "public voice" for those defending their rights.
July 28, 2015: Paxton Indicted on Criminal Charges
On July 28, 2015, Ken Paxton was indicted on three criminal charges: two counts of securities fraud and one count of failing to register with state securities regulators.
August 3, 2015: Paxton Arrested and Booked
On August 3, 2015, following the unsealing of the grand jury indictment, Paxton was arrested and booked. He pleaded not guilty.
2015: Paxton Opposes Atheist Group's Action Against School Prayer
In 2015, Ken Paxton opposed an atheist group's legal action seeking a halt to the reading of religious prayers before school board meetings, citing concerns about anti-Christian discrimination in Texas schools.
2015: Indicted on securities fraud charges
In 2015, Paxton was indicted on state securities fraud charges relating to activities before taking office; he pleaded not guilty.
April 2016: Department of Labor's "persuader rule" goes into effect
In April 2016, the Department of Labor's "persuader rule", which forces employers to report any actions taken to affect an employee's decisions regarding representation or collective bargaining rights, went into effect.
June 2016: Federal Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction Against "Persuader Rule"
In June 2016, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against the Department of Labor's "persuader rule". Paxton called the injunction "a victory for the preservation of the sanctity of attorney-client confidentiality".
June 2016: Virgin Islands AG drops Exxon subpoena after Paxton intervention
In June 2016, after Ken Paxton requested to intervene in the case between the U.S. Virgin Islands attorney general Claude Walker and ExxonMobil, Walker dropped the subpoena for Exxon's records.
June 2016: Supreme Court Issues Split Ruling on DAPA
In June 2016, the Supreme Court issued a split 4-4 ruling in the case of United States v. Texas regarding President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) executive action. Due to the split decision, a lower-court ruling from 2015 that invalidated Obama's plan remained in effect.
October 2016: Complaint Against Paxton Conditionally Dismissed
In October 2016, U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III conditionally dismissed the complaint against Paxton, giving the SEC two weeks to refile an amended complaint. The SEC later refiled its securities fraud claims against Paxton.
2016: Paxton Sues Austin to Allow Open Carry of Handguns
In 2016, Ken Paxton sued the City of Austin to allow license holders to openly carry handguns in Austin City Hall. Paxton prevailed, and the court ruled that the city of Austin must allow such carry and ordered it to pay a fine to the state for each day it prevented investigators from the attorney general's office from carrying their firearms.
2016: Paxton Sues Obama Administration Over Overtime Rule
In 2016, Ken Paxton sued the Obama administration over a United States Department of Labor rule that would have made five million additional workers eligible for overtime pay.
2016: Paxton sides with ExxonMobil in Climate Change Probe
In 2016, Ken Paxton was one of eleven Republican state attorneys general who sided with ExxonMobil in the company's suit to block a climate change probe by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2016: Paxton's Voter ID Law Struck Down
In 2016, the San Antonio Express-News criticized the state's voter identification law, which Ken Paxton seeks to have reinstated after it was struck down by United States District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi, who found the measure to be a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
2016: SEC Files Civil Enforcement Action Against Paxton
In 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil enforcement action against Paxton, alleging securities fraud in the Servergy investors case.
2016: UT Austin Professors Sue to Ban Concealed Handguns
In 2016, three University of Texas at Austin professors sued in an effort to ban concealed handguns from campus, blocking the state's campus carry law. Paxton called the lawsuit "frivolous" and moved to dismiss.
2016: Paxton Investigates Texas Voting Records for Voter Fraud
In February 2017, as part of his "crusade" against voter fraud, Ken Paxton sought to investigate 2016 Texas voting records to uncover potential voter fraud. Officials in Bexar County said there have been no major cases of voter fraud in San Antonio.
February 2017: Paxton Investigates Texas Voting Records for Voter Fraud
In February 2017, as part of his "crusade" against voter fraud, Ken Paxton sought to investigate 2016 Texas voting records to uncover potential voter fraud. Officials in Bexar County said there have been no major cases of voter fraud in San Antonio.
March 2017: Venue Change Granted for Paxton's Trial
In March 2017, District Judge George Gallagher granted the prosecution's motion for a change of venue, moving Paxton's trial to Houston in Harris County.
March 2017: Paxton Claims Voter Fraud Exists in Texas
In March 2017, Ken Paxton told The Washington Times that he was convinced that voter fraud exists in Texas, and claimed that local election officials in Texas were not on the lookout for detecting fraud.
May 2, 2017: ProPublica Article States No Evidence of Widespread Voter Fraud in Texas
According to a May 2, 2017 ProPublica article, there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Texas.
May 2017: AG's Voter ID Enforcement Efforts Plagued by Delays and Interventions
By May 2017, the Office of the AG's "efforts to enact and enforce the strictest voter ID law in the nation were so plagued by delays, revisions, court interventions and inadequate education that the casting of ballots in the 2016 election was inevitably troubled".
July 2017: Republican Attorneys General Threaten Litigation over DACA
In July 2017, Ken Paxton led a group of Republican Attorneys General and Idaho Governor Butch Otter in threatening the Trump administration with litigation if the president did not terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which had been put into place by President Barack Obama.
2017: Paxton Objects to School's Prayer Room for Muslim Students
In 2017, Ken Paxton objected to a Texas school's use of an empty classroom to allow its Muslim students to pray, claiming that the room excluded students of other faiths. School officials disputed Paxton's assertion.
November 2018: Court Invalidates Attorney's Fees Order
In November 2018, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals invalidated the trial court's order approving payments of attorneys' fees to the special prosecutors in Paxton's case.
2018: Extramarital Affair
In 2018, Ken Paxton's extramarital affair, which he claimed to his staff and others had ended, continued at least through 2020.
2018: Nate Paul Donation to Paxton's Campaign
In 2018, real estate developer Nate Paul, who had donated $25,000 to Paxton's campaign, was alleged to have been illegally benefited by Paxton's office.
2018: Paxton's Office Spent Less Time on Voter Fraud Cases
Paxton's office spent almost double the time working on voter fraud cases in 2021 as it did in 2018, recording over 22,000 staff hours but resolving only 16 prosecutions.
2019: Paxton Files Motion to Move Case
In 2019, Paxton filed a motion to move the case from Harris County to his native Collin County.
May 2020: Paxton Opposes Expansion of Absentee Voting
In May 2020, Ken Paxton opposed an expansion of absentee voting to voters who lack immunity to COVID-19. A state district judge ruled in favor of expansion, but Paxton publicly contradicted the judge and persuaded the Texas Supreme Court to address the issue.
June 2020: Hervis Rogers' Parole Ends
In June 2020, Hervis Rogers' parole ended.
September 2020: KXAN Analysis of Voter Fraud Cases
An analysis by KXAN found that 24 of 138 people convicted of voter fraud in Texas between 2004 and September 2020 spent time in jail.
October 2020: Aides Accuse Paxton of Improper Influence
In October 2020, seven of Paxton's top aides published a letter accusing him of improper influence, abuse of office, bribery, and other crimes, providing information to law enforcement. All seven whistleblowers had left the office by the end of the month.
December 8, 2020: Paxton Sues States Over Presidential Election Results
On December 8, 2020, Ken Paxton sued the states of Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, alleging unconstitutional actions in their presidential balloting and asking the Supreme Court to invalidate their electoral votes. The case was quickly dismissed on December 11.
2020: Paxton Sues to Block Harris County Absentee Ballot Applications
During the 2020 election season, Ken Paxton sued Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins to block him from sending applications for absentee ballots to the county's 2.4 million registered voters. Paxton lost in the lower courts, but the Texas Supreme Court reversed and directed the trial court to enter an injunction against Hollins.
2020: Continuation of Extramarital Affair
In 2020, Ken Paxton continued his extramarital affair. He worked with Nate Paul to hire the woman and continued to meet with her. Paxton and Paul shared an Uber account under a pseudonym.
2020: Efforts to Subvert 2020 Presidential Election
In 2020, Ken Paxton was involved in efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, which later led to further scrutiny and legal challenges.
2020: Ethics Complaint Filed by Galveston Democrats
In 2020, after Ken Paxton sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Galveston Democrats filed a complaint with the State Bar of Texas alleging professional misconduct.
2020: Former Members Sue Texas AG's Office
In 2020, four former members of the Texas AG's Office sued the Office of the Attorney General, alleging that Paxton fired them for reporting misconduct to law enforcement, which is a form of illegal retaliation under the state's Whistleblower Act.
2020: Paxton Sues Federal Government Over Spending Law
In 2023, Ken Paxton sued the federal government in Texas v. Garland, asserting that $1.7 trillion federal spending law passed by Congress for fiscal year 2023 is invalid because of the lack of a physical quorum in the U.S. House of Representatives at the time of the bill's passage. Paxton argued that the House's decision in 2020 to allow the use of proxy voting during the COVID-19 pandemic was unconstitutional.
2020: Paxton Falsely Claims Biden "Overthrew" Trump in 2020 Election
In October 2021, Ken Paxton falsely claimed that Biden "overthrew" Trump in the 2020 election.
2020: Paxton's Office Spends Thousands of Hours Looking for Voter Fraud
Ken Paxton's office spent more than 22,000 hours looking for voter fraud after the 2020 election, finding only 16 cases of false addresses on registration forms out of nearly 17 million registered voters.
May 2021: Reversal of Dismissal of Ethics Complaint
In May 2021, the Board of Disciplinary Appeals reversed the initial dismissal of an ethics complaint against Ken Paxton, ordering the State Bar to investigate a possible violation of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Misconduct.
July 9, 2021: The Guardian Notes Paxton's Pursuit of Election-Related Crimes
According to a July 9, 2021 article in The Guardian, "[F]ew prosecutors have pursued election-related crimes more than Paxton."
July 11, 2021: The New York Times Reports Paxton's "Mission" to Charge Voter Fraud
According to a July 11, 2021 report in The New York Times, although voter fraud is "very rare in the United States", Paxton "made it a mission" as attorney general to lay voter-charge charges.
July 2021: Paxton Orders Arrest of Hervis Rogers for Voting While Ineligible
In July 2021, Ken Paxton ordered the arrest of Hervis Rogers, a Black man who voted while on parole, for voter fraud. Bail for Rogers was set at $100,000.
October 2021: Paxton Falsely Claims Biden "Overthrew" Trump in 2020 Election
In October 2021, Ken Paxton falsely claimed that Biden "overthrew" Trump in the 2020 election.
October 2021: Court Rejects Paxton's Appeal in Whistleblower Suit
In October 2021, the Texas Third Court of Appeals rejected Paxton's appeal, affirming the trial court's order in a suit brought by former members of the Texas AG's Office alleging illegal retaliation under the state's Whistleblower Act.
2021: Paxton's Voter Fraud Unit Budget and Case Closures
In 2021, Ken Paxton's voter fraud investigation unit had a budget of $1.9 million to $2.2 million, but by the end of the year, the office had closed only three cases of fraud.
2021: Paxton's Office Refuses to Provide Work Emails and Text Messages
In early 2021, Ken Paxton's office refused to provide his work emails and text messages he sent or received while in Washington on January 6, after several Texas news organizations requested them in accordance with the state's open records law.
2021: Court of Appeals Agrees to Move Case in Paxton Case
In rulings in 2021, the 1st Court of Appeals in Houston agreed with Paxton and trial court and sided with Paxton that the case be moved to Collin County.
2021: Paxton's Office Spends More Time on Voter Fraud Cases
Paxton's office spent almost double the time working on voter fraud cases in 2021 as it did in 2018, recording over 22,000 staff hours but resolving only 16 prosecutions.
January 2022: Travis County District Attorney Gives Paxton Deadline to Comply With Open Records Law
In January 2022, the Travis County district attorney gave Ken Paxton four days to comply with the state's open records law regarding his work emails and text messages or face a lawsuit.
February 18, 2022: Paxton Characterizes Gender-Affirming Care as Child Abuse
On February 18, 2022, Ken Paxton issued a written opinion characterizing gender-affirming health care for transgender youths as child abuse.
March 17, 2022: Paxton refers to Rachel Levine as a man on Twitter
On March 17, 2022, Ken Paxton made a post on Twitter in which he referred to U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine – a trans woman — as a man. Twitter flagged the tweet for violating its conduct rules, but did not remove the post.
May 2022: Ethics Lawsuit Filed by Bar's Commission for Lawyer Discipline
In May 2022, the Bar's Commission for Lawyer Discipline sued Ken Paxton in Collin County District Court, alleging unethical conduct in seeking to subvert the 2020 presidential election.
June 2022: Paxton To Defend Laws Prohibiting Sodomy if SCOTUS Overturns Precedent
In June 2022, Ken Paxton stated that he would defend state laws prohibiting sodomy or consensual same-sex sexual relationships if the Supreme Court precedent invalidating such laws, the Lawrence v. Texas decision, was overturned.
July 11, 2022: Trial scheduled regarding gender-affirming care investigations
On July 11, 2022, a trial was scheduled in Texas regarding state investigations into families who provide gender-affirming medical care for their children.
November 2022: Office indicates it had no information.
In November 2022, officials indicated that Ken Paxton's office had no information regarding a list of citizens who had changed their gender on their driver's licenses.
2022: Charges Against Hervis Rogers Dismissed
In 2022, the charges against Hervis Rogers were dismissed after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that Paxton had no authority to unilaterally charge Texans with election crimes.
February 2023: Settlement Agreement in Whistleblower Case
In early February 2023, Ken Paxton reached a tentative settlement with whistleblowers, agreeing to pay them $3.3 million. While neither side admitted fault, Paxton apologized for referring to them as 'rogue employees'. The settlement was contingent on state approval and funding.
February 2023: Paxton Asks for More Taxpayer Funds for His Office
In late February 2023, Ken Paxton asked the Appropriations subcommittee of the Texas House of Representatives to provide more taxpayer funds to his office, including the full amount of the intended $3.3 million settlement of the lawsuit brought by whistleblowers from his office.
March 2023: Texas House Investigates Paxton
In March 2023, the Texas House General Investigating Committee began to investigate Ken Paxton.
May 2023: Impeachment by Texas House of Representatives
In May 2023, Ken Paxton was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives following accusations that he abused his power to assist a wealthy donor in exchange for possible benefits, specifically a home remodel. These accusations were initially raised by whistleblowers.
May 2023: Settlement Deadline Passes
In May 2023, a deadline for payment in the whistleblower settlement passed without the settlement coming into effect, leading the suit to move to the Texas Supreme Court.
May 2023: Paxton's Request for Funds Triggered Impeachment Investigation
The Texas House General Investigating Committee stated in May 2023 that "Paxton's own request for taxpayer-funded settlement over his wrongful conduct" triggered the investigation for impeachment. A spokeswoman for Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan concurred, stating in May 2023 that it was due to Paxton demanding taxpayer funds for the settlement "without providing sufficient information or evidence in support of his request".
May 23, 2023: Paxton Accuses Phelan of Intoxication and Demands Resignation
On May 23, 2023, Ken Paxton accused Texas Speaker Phelan of performing his duties in a "state of apparent debilitating intoxication" and demanded his resignation and investigation. Phelan responded by calling Paxton's statement a "last ditch effort to save face".
May 25, 2023: House Committee Recommends Impeachment
On May 25, 2023, the Republican-led House General Investigating Committee unanimously recommended that Paxton be impeached, filing 20 articles of impeachment based on their investigation.
May 27, 2023: Paxton Impeached by Texas House
On May 27, 2023, Ken Paxton was impeached after the Texas House voted 121–23 in favor. As a result, Paxton was suspended from office pending a trial in the Texas Senate, and Brent Webster became the acting attorney general.
June 2023: Texas Court Rules Securities Fraud Case Stays in Harris County
In June 2023, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals sided with the prosecution and overturned lower courts' rulings, holding that the securities fraud case against Paxton should remain in Harris County.
June 21, 2023: Senate Bars Angela Paxton From Voting in Husband's Impeachment Trial
On June 21, 2023, the Texas Senate voted to bar Angela Paxton, Ken Paxton's wife, from voting in her husband's impeachment trial, though she was still required to attend.
August 2023: Lawyers File Complaint to Prevent Paxton from Practicing Law
In August 2023, a week before Ken Paxton's impeachment trial, fourteen lawyers filed a complaint with the State Bar, seeking to prevent Paxton from practicing law, accusing him of abuse of office and other misconduct.
September 5, 2023: Paxton's Impeachment Trial Begins
On September 5, 2023, Paxton's impeachment trial began in the Texas Senate. Paxton pleaded "not guilty," and the Senate voted down his motion to dismiss the charges.
September 2023: Texas Supreme Court Ruling
In September 2023, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the attorney general is subject to the Whistleblower Act.
October 2023: Paxton's Trial Scheduled for April 15, 2024
In October 2023, the Harris County District Court scheduled Paxton's trial to begin on April 15, 2024.
December 2023: Texas AG Sued by Seattle Children's Hospital Over Subpoena
In December 2023, Seattle Children's Hospital sued the Texas Attorney General's office for subpoenaing private medical information about minors of Texas residence who received gender-affirming medical care, with the AG's office responding that it was investigating the hospital for deceptive trade practices.
2023: Paxton Sues Federal Government Over Spending Law
In 2023, Ken Paxton sued the federal government in Texas v. Garland, asserting that $1.7 trillion federal spending law passed by Congress for fiscal year 2023 is invalid because of the lack of a physical quorum in the U.S. House of Representatives at the time of the bill's passage.
2023: Swatting of American Politicians
In 2023, public servants and politicians around the U.S. reported swatting incidents. On January 1, 2024, Paxton and his wife Angela Paxton said their home had been subjected to a prank police report during the 2023 swatting of American politicians.
January 1, 2024: Paxton Home Subjected to Swatting Incident
On January 1, 2024, Paxton and his wife reported that their home had been targeted in a swatting incident, during which a false police report was filed while they were not present.
March 26, 2024: Paxton Reaches Agreement to Avoid Trial
On March 26, 2024, Paxton reached an agreement with the special prosecutor's office to avoid trial by paying $300,000 in restitution, performing 200 hours of community service, and taking 15 hours of legal ethics training.
April 15, 2024: Paxton's Trial Date
On April 15, 2024, Paxton's trial was scheduled to begin in the Harris County District Court.
December 2024: Paxton Sues NCAA Over Transgender Athletes
In December 2024, Ken Paxton sued the NCAA, arguing that allowing trans women to compete in women's sporting events was "false, deceptive, and misleading" to attendees.
2024: Paxton's Unit Raids Latino Voting Activists' Offices
In 2024, a unit created by Ken Paxton raided the offices of Latino voting activists, seizing cellphones, computers and documents as part of a voter fraud inquiry.
April 5, 2025: Whistleblowers Awarded $6.6 Million
On April 5, 2025, Travis County district court judge Catherine Mauzy awarded $6.6 million combined to four whistleblowers in the case against Ken Paxton.
June 18, 2025: Case Dismissal Date
On June 18, 2025, the case against Paxton was dismissed after he completed the terms of the agreement.
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