WACO, Texas (KXXV) — In the final weeks of the Biden administration, the U.S. Justice Department quietly decided not to prosecute Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, ending a high-profile federal investigation into allegations of corruption, The Associated Press has learned.
The decision, which had not been publicly disclosed, concluded the federal probe before former President Donald Trump's leadership could take action. According to AP sources familiar with the matter, the investigation stemmed from claims by Paxton’s inner circle that he used his office to benefit a political donor.
The Justice Department's public integrity section had taken over the case nearly two years ago, removing it from Texas-based investigators who had believed there was enough evidence to pursue an indictment.
Two sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the department’s decision to decline prosecution. While the exact date of the decision remains unclear, one source indicated that it occurred in the final weeks of President Joe Biden’s presidency.
This investigation had been the most significant legal challenge facing Paxton, who had previously settled a securities fraud case and was acquitted of corruption charges in 2023 following a historic impeachment trial in the Texas Senate. Paxton also agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution last year to resolve criminal securities fraud charges related to allegations that he misled investors in a tech startup near Dallas.
