Judge Awards $6M to Paxton Whistleblowers in Lawsuit \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A Texas district judge awarded over $6 million to four whistleblowers who were fired after reporting Attorney General Ken Paxton to the FBI for alleged misconduct. The court ruled Paxton violated the Texas Whistleblower Act by retaliating against them. Paxton previously tried to settle the case using taxpayer funds but was blocked by lawmakers.
Quick Looks
- Judge awards over $6 million to four former Paxton aides
- Whistleblowers were fired after reporting Paxton to the FBI
- Court found clear violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act
- Allegations involved bribery and misuse of office
- Aides reported Paxton’s ties to real estate investor and affair
- Paxton’s office did not dispute claims or damages in court
- Lawsuit followed FBI investigation and Paxton’s 2023 impeachment
- Settlement attempt using state funds was blocked by Texas House
- Texas Supreme Court blocked Paxton from testifying in November
- DOJ dropped its investigation near end of Biden’s term
Deep Look
In a major legal setback for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Travis County district judge has awarded more than $6 million in damages, backpay, and attorney’s fees to four former top aides who were fired after reporting him to the FBI. The ruling caps a years-long legal battle stemming from whistleblower allegations that Paxton abused his office to benefit a political donor and conceal an extramarital affair.
District Judge Catherine Mauzy concluded that the plaintiffs — all former senior officials in Paxton’s office — proved by a preponderance of the evidence that they were retaliated against in violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act.
“Because the Office of the Attorney General violated the Texas Whistleblower Act by firing and otherwise retaliating against the plaintiff for in good faith reporting violations of law by Ken Paxton and OAG, the court hereby renders judgment for plaintiffs,” Mauzy wrote in her order.
Court Finds Whistleblower Retaliation Was Unlawful
The ruling holds that the four men — who were among eight former aides who first reported Paxton to federal authorities in 2020 — were unlawfully terminated or forced out after they reported suspicions of bribery and misconduct by Paxton. At the core of their allegations was the claim that Paxton used the power of his office to help an Austin real estate investor, Nate Paul, who was under investigation at the time.
Paul had employed a woman with whom Paxton was reportedly having an extramarital affair, leading whistleblowers to argue that personal and financial motives were driving the attorney general’s actions.
The court noted that the whistleblowers made their reports “in good faith” and that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) did not dispute the factual allegations or claimed damages during the proceedings.
Legal and Political Fallout for Paxton
The ruling is the latest chapter in a long-running scandal that has dogged Paxton since 2020, when eight top aides resigned or were fired after going to the FBI and other authorities with concerns about Paxton’s conduct.
While the lawsuit has been in court for over four years, Paxton’s office fought the case using what the plaintiffs’ lawyers described as “delay tactics” — repeatedly avoiding depositions, attempting to dismiss the case, and ultimately seeking a $3.3 million taxpayer-funded settlement that was rejected by the Texas House of Representatives.
“Ken Paxton finally admitted to breaking the law to avoid being questioned under oath,” said attorneys Tom Nesbitt and T.J. Turner, representing whistleblowers Blake Brickman and David Maxwell, in a joint statement. “It should shock all Texans that their chief law enforcement officer admitted to violating the law — but that is exactly what happened in this case.”
Despite the legal findings, Paxton has never testified under oath in the case. In November 2023, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a lower-court ruling that would have compelled Paxton to appear for questioning.
Impeachment, Acquittal, and Federal Investigations
In 2023, after the settlement proposal became public, the Texas House launched its own investigation into Paxton’s conduct. This resulted in Paxton’s impeachment, making him just the third statewide official in Texas history to be impeached. However, the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him, allowing him to return to office.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly dropped its own investigation into Paxton in the final weeks of the Biden administration, according to unnamed sources cited by the Associated Press. The DOJ never publicly confirmed or denied whether it had been actively pursuing charges.
Whistleblowers Win Compensation After Years-Long Battle
The court’s final judgment awarded a combined total of over $6 million to the four whistleblowers, accounting for lost wages, emotional distress, and legal fees accumulated throughout the drawn-out litigation. The court’s decision confirms what watchdog groups and government transparency advocates have long argued — that Paxton’s conduct not only violated the law but also undermined public trust in the state’s top legal office.
The decision also offers a warning to other public agencies: Retaliation against whistleblowers will not go unpunished, particularly when those individuals act in good faith to expose wrongdoing at the highest levels of government.
Office of Attorney General Silent After Judgment
As of Saturday, the Texas Attorney General’s Office had not responded to requests for comment regarding the judgment. Paxton himself has remained publicly silent on the matter, as has his legal team.
With this ruling, the embattled attorney general faces renewed scrutiny even as he continues to hold office. Questions remain about how — or if — the awarded judgment will be paid, especially since the Legislature previously refused to authorize taxpayer funding for a settlement.
Judge Awards $6M Judge Awards $6M
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