Investigation questions Ken Paxton's financial disclosures in U.S. Senate race

September 5, 2026 - 03:45

A joint review by two nonprofit newsrooms has uncovered what ethics specialists describe as major mistakes and missing information in the financial disclosure reports filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for his U.S. Senate campaign. The findings add another layer of scrutiny to an already crowded Republican primary race.

The investigation focused on Paxton's federal paperwork, which requires candidates to list assets, liabilities, and outside income. According to the review, several entries appear to be incomplete or incorrect. In some cases, the reported values do not match public records or previous state-level filings. In others, sources of income or debts that should have been listed were left off entirely.

Ethics lawyers who examined the documents said the pattern of errors goes beyond simple clerical mistakes. They noted that federal forms come with clear instructions and that candidates are personally responsible for their accuracy. While not every omission is automatically illegal, the experts say the sheer number of discrepancies is unusual for a candidate with Paxton's legal background.

Paxton's campaign did not directly address the specific findings. Instead, a spokesperson dismissed the report as a political attack, pointing to the attorney general's long record of public service and his fights against what he calls federal overreach. The campaign also noted that Paxton has amended state filings in the past when issues were raised.

The Senate race in Texas has drawn national attention, with Paxton positioning himself as a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. His legal troubles, including an ongoing securities fraud case and a separate whistleblower lawsuit, have already been a major talking point for his opponents. This new report on his disclosures is likely to fuel further debate about his fitness for higher office.

Federal election officials do not routinely audit every filing, but they can open reviews based on complaints or media reports. It remains unclear whether this investigation will trigger any formal action. For now, the report gives voters another factor to weigh as the primary approaches.