Republican Ken Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 trips with a taxpayer-funded state police security detail since becoming Texas attorney general in 2015. The bill so far: $3.3 million.
A new ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation could tie only 138 of those trips, and $553,000 of that cost, to state business. Paxton is now the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, and early voting starts October 19.
Suspended From Office, So He Hit the Road
In the summer of 2023, Paxton was impeached on charges of abusing his office and suspended for more than three months. He was barred from doing any official business.
So he traveled. Paxton took at least 17 trips during the suspension, including to the resort towns of Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colorado. State police went with him every time, costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for trips that had nothing to do with his job.
He also visited Broken Bow, Oklahoma, where he owns a $1.5 million vacation lodge, and a Utah town near the golf resort where he later bought four condos. The Republican-led Texas Senate acquitted him on the impeachment charges.
Just 1 in 6 Trips Had a Business Purpose
Reporters reviewed security logs, receipts and Paxton's daily calendars obtained through public records requests. Only about one trip in six had a listed business purpose. More than 800 trips had none.
It is getting worse. Last year, just five of Paxton's 91 trips with the detail had a business purpose listed. Forty-one were outside Texas.
His office's records show no business reason for trips to 17 countries, including Aruba, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece, Malta and South Africa.
Trips That Lined Up With Real Estate Deals
Some of the travel overlapped with places where Paxton or his family trust later bought property. He went to Lahaina, Hawaii, for a 2021 conference. Four months later, his trust bought an oceanview lot there for $410,000. It is now assessed at $1.2 million.
He has made 24 trips to Utah, where the trust owns five properties, and 53 trips to Florida, where he and the trust own two houses and a townhome. Only two of the Florida trips had a documented business purpose.
A recent analysis by the same newsrooms found Paxton owns or co-owns 15 properties worth about $11 million. He earns about $153,000 a year as attorney general and has not explained how his wealth grew so fast.
The Masters, Napa and 730 Blank Workdays
This comes a week after an Associated Press review found Paxton left about 730 workdays blank on his official calendars and took over 275 out-of-state trips. Right after launching his Senate run, he booked a hotel in Augusta, Georgia, during the Masters golf tournament. Taxpayers paid at least $25,000.
He has taken more than 25 trips to California at a public cost of over $175,000, including Napa Valley wine country visits. This is the same Republican who attacks his opponent as a California liberal. On a podcast he admitted, "I don't like to admit that I go to California."
What Paxton Says
Paxton did not answer detailed questions from either news organization. His office said he faces security threats because of his work against cartels and violent criminals, and that his calendar does not capture calls and briefings that fill his days.
Asked to provide records showing any of the undocumented trips were official business, neither Paxton nor his office did. His Senate campaign declined to comment to the AP.
A Senate Seat on the Line
Paxton beat Sen. John Cornyn in a Republican primary runoff in May. He now faces Democrat James Talarico, who has hammered him over luxury travel, including spending July 4 in Great Britain.
The race is close. Talarico has led most September and October polls, including a YouGov survey showing him up 50 to 44. A UMass Lowell poll this week had them tied at 45. Election Day is November 3.
The Bottom Line
Ken Paxton wants a promotion to the U.S. Senate after turning a state police detail into a $3.3 million travel perk. Ski towns, beach houses, the Masters and wine country, all with Texas taxpayers covering his security, and only 1 in 6 trips tied to the job he was elected to do. Texans get to decide on November 3 whether this Republican has earned a bigger expense account.
Sources: ProPublica and The Texas Tribune (Zach Despart), the Associated Press (Brian Slodysko and Jesse Bedayn), USA Today, and UMass Lowell/YouGov.