Throughout his time in office, Ken Paxton has been a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump and cast false doubt on election security in the aftermath of the 2020 election. No evidence has been found of widespread misconduct that would have impacted election results.
After the presidential election, Paxton asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victories in four swing states. The court tossed out Paxton’s petition four days later.
In May 2022, the State Bar of Texas sued Paxton, arguing that he engaged in professional misconduct by making dishonest claims when he told the Supreme Court that Texas had uncovered proof of substantial voter fraud in the four states. Paxton’s bid to toss out the lawsuit is awaiting action by the Dallas-based 5th Court of Appeals.
On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Paxton spoke in Washington, D.C., at the Stop the Steal rally. And after the attack unfolded, Paxton falsely blamed the violence on antifa, a left-wing, anti-fascist movement, and claimed Trump supporters weren’t responsible for the insurrection.
Election experts have raised concerns about the impact Paxton could have on future contested elections. The attorney general’s office is in charge of defending and enforcing the state’s election laws and of bringing lawsuits, such as ones that allege voter fraud.
