Ken Paxton Used $3.3 Million in Taxpayer Security for Personal Trips
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton used state-funded security for nearly 1,000 trips since 2015, with only 138 documented as having a business purpose.
An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune revealed that Ken Paxton used a taxpayer-funded security detail for nearly 1,000 out-of-state trips since 2015, costing the state $3.3 million. The analysis found that only 138 of these trips, totaling $553,000, had a documented business purpose. Many of these travels coincided with locations where Paxton or his family trust owns real estate, including 53 trips to Florida and 24 to Utah.
Records show Paxton's monthly security costs averaged $24,300, significantly higher than the $7,400 monthly average of his predecessor, Greg Abbott. Notably, Paxton utilized state-funded security for at least 17 trips during a 2023 suspension when he was legally barred from conducting official business. Other destinations included Oklahoma, where he owns a $1.5 million vacation lodge, and Hawaii, where his family trust purchased land in Lahaina following a security-detailed visit.
The Office of the Texas Attorney General defended the expenditures, stating the security is necessary because Paxton faces threats resulting from his work against cartels and violent criminals. However, Paxton has not provided records to justify the trips lacking a listed business purpose, and there is no evidence he reimbursed the state for personal or campaign-related travel.
