Fox Displays List of Ken Paxton’s Legal Troubles During Interview - Newsweek

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee in one of the country's most closely watched Senate races, was presented with a list of his past scandals during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday.

During a live broadcast of Special Report from the GOP's first-ever midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday, host Bret Baier noted that Paxton's Democratic opponent, state Representative James Talarico, frequently highlights Paxton's legal and political troubles during campaign stops.

"He goes down a list of legal troubles you've had," Baier said. "Just putting them on the screen here, just so everybody can see."

Fox News, a conservative network, then displayed three graphics detailing the legal and political issues Paxton has faced over the years, while Baier read them aloud. They include an indictment on securities fraud charges that were later dropped and allegations by former staff members of accepting bribes. Paxton has denied all wrongdoing.

Baier devoted several minutes to cataloging Paxton's legal troubles as the Republican remains locked in a highly competitive race that could decide which party controls the Senate in November.

With a scandal-plagued Paxton as his opponent, Talarico has given Democrats their best chance in decades of winning a statewide race in reliably red Texas.

Democrats need four seats to win back control of the Senate, and polls show unexpectedly competitive races in Texas and other conservative-leaning states. Meanwhile, Republicans are navigating a difficult political environment since the party in power typically loses seats during midterm elections and Trump's approval ratings have slipped as Americans express concern about the economy and the war with Iran.

Newsweek has contacted the Paxton and Talarico campaigns for comment via email.

During the interview, Baier read aloud from three graphics displayed onscreen under the heading "Paxton Legal Troubles."

"It's a long list here," Baier said, before asking Paxton what he would say to voters concerned by it.

"When you're fighting, they come after you," Paxton said, comparing his experience to that of the president.

"Look at Donald Trump. He had many more indictments than I did. He had two impeachments," Paxton said. "I went through a very similar process as him."

He added: "None of those things were proven. They all, if you'll notice, they were all dismissed or they're gone."

Before winning a second term in the White House in 2024, Trump faced charges in four separate criminal cases.

In May 2024, a New York jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements he made to Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, for a $130,000 hush‑money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

The three other cases, which included allegations of election interference and illegally hoarding classified documents, have either been dropped, resolved or put aside. A judge rejected Trump's bid to erase his hush-money conviction last month.

The U.S. House impeached Trump twice during his first term on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, as well as incitement of an insurrection. The Senate acquitted him on both occasions.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Shakeema Edwards.