Ken Paxton is the Most Corrupt

“Ken Paxton has spent his career as Attorney General serving one person: himself,” says Tiffany Muller.

Ken Paxton, the current Attorney General of Texas and Republican candidate for Senate, owns at least 15 properties worth roughly $9 million. These properties, which he owns through trusts, include a luxury cabin in Oklahoma, three homes in Florida, and land in Hawaii. Paxton recently bought three condos at a swanky resort in Utah while running to govern a state where the median annual salary is roughly $78,000. According to a report from The Texas Tribune, the costs of renting or owning a home in the state are rising faster than incomes, meaning, for most people, “It’s getting harder to afford living in Texas.”

The extent of Paxton’s wealth is a focus of attention during ongoing divorce proceedings, as his wife, State Senator Angela Paxon, has made accusations of adultery that are corroborated by photos of the attorney general vacationing in Europe with a Christian influencer. As many people have pointed out, Paxton couldn’t have amassed millions in luxury property solely with his government salary; he earns $153,000 as state attorney general. So, to paraphrase Rep. Joaquin Castro: How the hell did Paxton afford this?

The short answer is corruption.

Last week, End Citizens United named Ken Paxton to its 2026 list of Most Corrupt Politicians. ECU’s Most Corrupt list spotlights elected officials whose corrupt actions consistently align with personal interests over those of their constituents.

Paxton is so corrupt that his track record is genuinely mindboggling. We live in a country where President Trump is enriching himself and his family by the billions with cryptocurrency; members of Congress routinely trade stocks in industries like Big Pharma and Big Tech with insider knowledge; and corporations spend roughly $2.6 billion lobbying per year. But even here, even now, Paxton stands out for his flagrant corruption.

“Ken Paxton has spent his career as Attorney General serving one person: himself,” End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller told the Austin American-Statesman. “He has used the power of his office to protect his own interests, reward the wealthy donors who help keep him in power, and leave Texas families paying the price. That’s not public service. That’s textbook corruption.”

Among the most serious examples of Paxton’s corruption:

• Indicted for bribery and abuse: Paxton has faced three felony indictments for securities fraud and impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives after he fired whistleblowers who reported him to the FBI for bribery and abuse of office, costing taxpayers millions.

• His office gave a sweetheart deal to a pedophile: Paxton has been too distracted protecting his own interests to serve the public, leading to serious failures like negotiating a plea deal of just one day in jail in a case of repeated sexual assault against a child, where an admitted pedophile did not have to register as a sex offender in Texas.

• Committed mortgage fraud, according to the Associated Press. Paxton and his wife owned three homes that they declared as primary residences, allowing them to lock in lower interest rates.

• Funded by the data center industry: Paxton’s campaigns have been heavily funded by business and special interests, including $448,000 from the data center industry while Paxton stalled a decision in the Attorney General’s office.

• Backed by rich donors, including oilmen: Paxton has received major donations from ultra-wealthy oil company owners and executives.

• Engaged in pay-to-play with state money: Paxton also raked in $2.2 million from his investments in Watchguard, after voting for a spending bill that allowed the company to receive lucrative state contracts.

• Accepted crypto industry money: Paxton’s candidacy is supported by $500,000 in spending by a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC.

While Ken Paxton is out vacationing across Europe and shopping for condos, ostensibly celebrating escaping bribery charges, how are most Texans living?

Just like Americans across the country, Texans are watching basic costs of living go up faster than their salaries. According to The Texas Tribune, more than half of the state’s 4.1 million renters are now “cost-burdened.” Meanwhile, households and local businesses are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of gas, utilities, and groceries.

In contrast to Paxton’s self-dealing, this month his opponent in the Senate race, Democratic candidate James Talarico, rolled out an economic agenda designed to address rising costs in the state. “We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis,” Talarico said during a speech in Arlington. “For too many of our neighbors – and for too many Texans – the American dream has become an American nightmare.”

Anti-corruption measures are a central part of Talarico’s New American Dream package of reforms. His campaign draws a clear, straight line between politicians like Paxton handing out favors to their corporate and ultra-wealthy donors and everyday people facing a cost-of-living crisis. Because corruption is the root cause of so many economic problems, Talarico is calling for banning super PACs, corporate PACs, and Congressional stock trading.

“I will fight to unrig this economy,” Talarico said, as he unveiled his New American Dream plan. “I will fight to lower your costs and raise your pay. And unlike Ken Paxton, I will fight to put your hard-earned money where it belongs: in your pocket.”