Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
State Government: Agencies/Departments/Divisions | State Elected - Attorney General
Recent News About Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
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Texas Attorney General Sues Biden Administration Over Transportation Emissions Rule
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration, challenging a new greenhouse gas reporting measure imposed by the federal Department of Transportation. The measure requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish a declining carbon dioxide target for transportation as a performance measure for the Interstate and National Highway System. The federal government argues that this mandate is necessary to achieve the administration's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reach net-zero across the economy by 2050.... -
Texas Appeals Ruling That Would Cripple State's Ability to Settle Lawsuits
The Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) in Texas has filed an appeal against a recent ruling that could severely impact the state's ability to settle lawsuits. The OAG argues that the decision, if upheld, would have detrimental effects on the state's legal system.In the case of Office of the Attorney General of Texas v. James Blake Brickman et al, the OAG had reached an agreement with former agency employees almost a year ago. This agreement was aimed at resolving the dispute between the parties in a cost-effective and efficient manner. However, the trial court's... -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Settlement with Major Internet Provider to Address Consumer Complaints
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully reached a settlement with CSC Holdings, LLC, the operating subsidiary of Altice USA, Inc., a major telecommunications company. The Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) aims to ensure that CSC Holdings provides the services it advertises to consumers in Texas.CSC Holdings, LLC, which operates under the brand name "Optimum" in Texas, offers broadband, television, phone, and other services to consumers across the country, with over 100 service areas in Texas alone. However, over the years, Texas residents have reported... -
Texas Attorney General Opposes Special Prosecutor's Petition Against President Trump
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to deny Special Prosecutor Jack Smith's petition regarding former President Donald Trump's appeal for presidential immunity. The petition seeks to have SCOTUS consider the issue before a lower appeals court has the opportunity to do so.Paxton, in his opposition to Smith's petition, highlights the unusual nature of the request. He argues that Smith has not provided sufficient justification for bypassing the standard appellate process. According to Paxton, the... -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Injunction to Stop Destruction of Border Barriers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully obtained an injunction pending appeal against the Biden administration, preventing the federal government from continuing to destroy vital border barriers in the state. These concertina wire barriers were put in place by Texas in response to the influx of unvetted foreign aliens entering the state.Previously, a federal district court had ruled that the Biden administration enjoyed sovereign immunity, allowing Border Patrol agents to resume the destruction of Texas-owned barriers. However, Attorney General Paxton... -
Statement on the Third Anniversary of Jason Landry's Disappearance
Three years ago this week, Jason Landry, a college student from Texas, went missing. Today, Attorney General Paxton and the Office of the Attorney General's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit reaffirm their commitment to the investigation and their dedication to pursuing credible information from the public.Jason Landry, a student at Texas State University, was last seen on December 13, 2020. His abandoned vehicle was discovered on a rural roadway just outside of Luling, Texas, on the early morning of December 14, 2020.Since February 2022, when the Caldwell County... -
Texas Attorney General Opposes HHS Rule Discriminating Against Religious Foster Care Providers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has voiced his opposition to a proposed rule by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would force state foster care programs and providers to adhere to radical gender ideology. This rule threatens to remove faith-based providers from the foster care system, infringing upon their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and religion.Under the proposed rule, faith-based organizations and providers would be required to support "LGBTQ+ affirmation" for minors under their care. Failure to comply could result... -
Texas Attorney General Sues VA Claims Insider for Defrauding Veterans Seeking Disability Benefits
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against VA Claims Insider, LLC (VACI) for engaging in deceptive trade practices and defrauding veterans who are seeking disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).VACI is a for-profit business that offers memberships to veterans, providing coaching and consulting services to help them obtain disability benefits from the VA. However, the advertisements from VACI have been found to mislead and confuse veterans regarding the actual cost of these memberships. Despite claiming that their services... -
Texas Attorney General Awards Death Benefits for Fallen Soldiers in Operation Lone Star
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has awarded four lump-sum death benefits for fallen soldiers in Texas' Operation Lone Star. The benefits are provided under legislation enacted by the 88th Legislature, which grants eligible active-duty military members and national guardsmen deployed for Operation Lone Star a death benefit.Under the legislation, the surviving spouse, child, or parent of the fallen soldier will receive the benefit if the individual died while on active duty in connection with operations initiated to address criminal activity in the border region.... -
Attorney General Ken Paxton Reaches Settlement with Blackbaud Over Data Security Breach
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has reached a settlement with Blackbaud, Inc. to address the software provider's deficient data security privacy practices. The settlement comes after an investigation into a 2020 data breach that impacted over 13,000 Blackbaud customers and their respective constituents.Blackbaud's customers, including educational institutions, healthcare groups, cultural organizations, and nonprofits, rely on the company's software to manage donor and constituent data. The breach exposed highly sensitive information such as Social Security numbers,... -
Harris County Drops Lawsuit After Attorney General Paxton Vigorously Defends Crucial Election Integrity Law
Harris County has dropped its lawsuit against the new state law that eliminated the "Elections Administrator" position in Texas's largest counties. The law, known as SB 1750, was enacted in 2023 after Harris County faced numerous challenges in administering its elections. The law removes the appointed Elections Administrator position and restores those powers to the elected Tax Assessor-Collector and County Clerk.The lawsuit filed by Harris County aimed to prevent the implementation of SB 1750, arguing that it was an unconstitutional "local law." However, the Office of... -
Texas Attorney General Warns of Fraudulent Emails Using His Name and Seal
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a warning to the public about a new wave of fraudulent emails that are attempting to deceive individuals into providing their personal information. Scammers are using Paxton's name, signature, and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Seal to carry out their malicious activities.The OAG has uncovered several examples of these fraudulent emails, with scammers posing as representatives from the Social Security Board. These emails falsely claim that the recipient's social security number is at risk of suspension due to alleged... -
Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Secures Prison Sentence and Restitution in Home Health Fraud Case
The Texas Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) has successfully secured a 14-year prison sentence for Audu Ozigi, a home health fraudster, and over $11 million in restitution. Ozigi was found guilty of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud for falsifying patient files and fraudulently billing Medicare and Medicaid for home health services.The sentencing was carried out by a Houston federal court, which imposed 168 months of federal incarceration on Ozigi, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Ozigi was ordered... -
Attorney General Ken Paxton Responds to Travis County TRO
Attorney General Ken Paxton has responded to the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) granted by the Travis County district judge, which purported to allow an abortion to proceed. In his statement, Paxton made it clear that the TRO would not protect hospitals, doctors, or anyone else from facing civil and criminal liability for violating Texas' abortion laws.Under Texas law, individuals who violate abortion laws can face first degree felony prosecutions and civil penalties of not less than $100,000 for each violation. The TRO may temporarily enjoin actions brought by the... -
Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues U.S. State Department for Conspiring to Censor American Media Companies
The State of Texas, along with media companies The Daily Wire and The Federalist, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, accusing them of engaging in a conspiracy to censor and suppress American media outlets that are not favored by the federal government. The lawsuit alleges that the State Department, through its Global Engagement Center, actively interfered in the news-media market to limit the reach and viability of domestic news organizations.According to the complaint, the State Department used its authority to... -
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Administrative Stay to Preserve Texas Border Barriers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has obtained an administrative stay that will prevent the federal government from destroying Texas's concertina wire fencing along the United States-Mexico border. The stay was granted by the Fifth Circuit, which has prohibited federal immigration officials from damaging the wire fences while the U.S. Department of Justice prepares a response to Texas's motion for an injunction pending appeal of the district court's order.This administrative stay comes as part of Texas's ongoing lawsuit against the Biden Administration, in which the State... -
Texas Attorney General Sues Pfizer for Misrepresenting COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy and Censoring Public Discourse
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer, accusing the pharmaceutical company of falsely representing the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine and attempting to suppress public discussion about the product. The lawsuit alleges that Pfizer engaged in deceptive practices and violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.One of the key claims made by Pfizer was that its vaccine had a 95% efficacy rate against infection. However, the lawsuit argues that this representation was highly misleading. The 95% efficacy rate was based on a calculation... -
Texas Attorney General Appeals Decision Allowing Destruction of Border Barriers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an appeal against a federal judge's decision that allows President Joe Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to continue destroying the state's border barriers. The state of Texas had requested that the court issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the federal government from cutting, damaging, or interfering with Texas's concertina wire fence until a final trial could be held.In October, Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit and a motion for preliminary injunction against the Biden administration's... -
Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Pfizer and Tris Pharma for Defrauding Texas Medicaid and Endangering Children
The Office of the Attorney General's Civil Medicaid Fraud Division has filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giants Pfizer, Inc. and Tris Pharma, Inc., as well as Tris CEO Ketan Mehta, for defrauding the Texas Medicaid program and providing adulterated pharmaceutical drugs to Texas children. The lawsuit alleges that Pfizer knowingly distributed an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication called Quillivant XR, produced by Tris, despite the drug's consistent failure in quality control tests due to flawed manufacturing practices.According to the lawsuit, Tris... -
Attorney General Investigates Media Matters for Potential Fraudulent Activity
The Office of the Attorney General has launched an investigation into Media Matters for potential fraudulent activity, citing violations of the Texas Business Organizations Code and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The investigation aims to hold nonprofits accountable for fraudulent acts committed within or affecting the state of Texas.Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed deep concern over the allegations against Media Matters, an organization known for its staunch opposition to free speech. The focus of the investigation revolves around the alleged manipulation of...