Ken Paxton stole someone's $1,000 pen.

Overall assessment: Mostly Reliable

The video provides a largely accurate account of various controversies and legal issues surrounding Ken Paxton, including the pen incident, his indictment for securities fraud, the whistleblower allegations, and his impeachment. While most claims are true, there are minor inaccuracies regarding the location of his indictment proceedings and the finality of his divorce.

Claims (20)

Ken Paxton stole someone's $1,000 pen.

Mostly True — Multiple news sources report that Ken Paxton was captured on security camera footage picking up and walking away with a $1,000 Montblanc pen accidentally left behind by attorney Joe Joplin at a courthouse. While the term 'stole' implies intent, the incident involved Paxton taking the pen without permission, which led to its return after security footage was reviewed.

The pen incident happened at the Collin County Courthouse.

True — Several sources explicitly state that the pen incident, involving Ken Paxton and Joe Joplin's pen, occurred at the Collin County Courthouse. Security camera footage from this location reportedly captured the event.

Paxton was later indicted for investment fraud at the Collin County Courthouse.

Mostly False — Ken Paxton was indeed indicted for felony securities fraud in 2015. However, while the case initially involved Collin County, prosecutors successfully moved the trial out of Collin County in 2017, arguing they could not get a fair trial there.

The pen belonged to Joe Joplin, a local attorney.

True — Multiple news articles consistently identify Joe Joplin, a local Collin County attorney, as the owner of the $1,000 Montblanc pen that Ken Paxton picked up at the courthouse.

Joe Joplin endorses James Tallarico for the United States Senate.

True — Several news outlets report that Joe Joplin has endorsed James Talarico for the U.S. Senate, with Talarico's campaign releasing an ad featuring Joplin discussing the pen incident and delivering his endorsement.

Paxton was indicted in 2015 on felony security fraud charges.

True — Multiple sources confirm that Ken Paxton was indicted on felony securities fraud charges on July 31, 2015, including two counts of first-degree securities fraud and a lesser charge of failing to register with state securities regulators.

Paxton was forced to pay $300,000 in restitution for the felony security fraud charges.

True — Ken Paxton agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution as part of a deal to end the criminal securities fraud charges in March 2024. This agreement allowed him to avoid a trial.

In 2020, senior deputies in Paxton's office reported him to the FBI.

True — Multiple sources confirm that in 2020, senior deputies in Ken Paxton's office reported him to the FBI. Specifically, eight employees reported his office to the FBI in September and October 2020 over bribery allegations and abuse of office.

The deputies alleged Paxton abused his power to help political donor Nate Paul.

True — The deputies who reported Paxton to the FBI alleged that he misused his office and abused his power to aid his friend and political donor, Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. They claimed his actions were prompted by illicit motives such as repaying debts or reciprocating favors.

The whistleblowers who reported Paxton to the FBI were fired.

True — Multiple sources confirm that four of the whistleblowers who reported Ken Paxton to the FBI were fired shortly after making their allegations. A district court judge later awarded them over $6 million combined in a lawsuit, finding that Paxton's office violated the Texas Whistleblower Act.

Several whistleblowers later won a $6.6 million judgment against Paxton's office.

True — Multiple news sources from April 2025 confirm that a district court judge awarded $6.6 million combined to four whistleblowers in their lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office. These whistleblowers were fired shortly after reporting Paxton to the FBI.

The Texas State Senate ultimately acquitted Ken Paxton.

True — Established news sources and The Texas Tribune confirm that the Texas Senate acquitted Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment on September 16, 2023. This decision allowed him to remain in office.

Paxton's marriage to State Senator Angela Paxton ended in divorce.

Mostly False — Multiple news sources from July 2025 and later confirm that State Senator Angela Paxton filed for divorce from Ken Paxton. Filings indicate she alleged adultery and sought a disproportionate share of the marital estate, but the divorce was ongoing as of June 2026 and had not yet concluded.

The divorce cited both infidelity and Ken Paxton's conduct in office.

Mostly True — Angela Paxton's divorce filing cited adultery as a ground for divorce. While some sources discuss a 'profound gap between Paxton's public political persona and his private behavior' and his wife seeking a 'disproportionate share of the couple’s estate,' the primary reason cited in the divorce filing itself, as reported by The New York Times and The Paxton Record, was infidelity.

Ken Paxton is dealing with allegations that he may have voted illegally in six elections over the past two years from an address he no longer lived at.

True — Multiple reputable news organizations, including ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, have reported on allegations that Ken Paxton voted in six elections while registered at an address where he no longer resided. These reports indicate that election experts and his political opponents are raising concerns about these actions.

Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton.

True — Multiple news sources, including the BBC, NPR, NBC News, and The Texas Tribune, confirm that Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton in his bid for the Senate, specifically in the Republican primary run-off race against incumbent Senator John Cornyn.

Ken Paxton is the subject of an investigation that found he voted in six elections over the past two years using the address of a Collin County home he no longer lives in.

Mostly True — Ken Paxton is indeed the subject of an investigation, as the Collin County Democratic Party filed a formal complaint with the Texas Secretary of State urging an investigation into whether he committed election fraud by voting in six elections from an address he no longer lived at. However, the evidence does not state that the investigation has 'found' he voted illegally, but rather that it is investigating the allegations.

Voting from an ineligible address is generally a second-degree felony under Texas law.

True — Multiple sources, including legal information sites and reports from the Texas Democratic Party citing election lawyers, state that voting while ineligible is a second-degree felony under Texas Election Code Section 64.012. This offense is punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.