The day after Texas Tech’s board chair gave $274,300 to Paxton’s campaign committee, Paxton’s office intervened for Texas Tech

What happened

On June 10, 2026, Cody Campbell, chair of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents, gave $274,300 to Paxton Victory, one of Paxton’s joint fundraising committees. ⁰¹

On June 11, Paxton’s office warned the Big 12 that sanctioning Texas Tech for playing quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who had admitted betting on his own team’s games, would be unlawful and could expose the conference to $200 million in liability. ^{01 02}

Campbell said the donation was not nefarious. Paxton’s campaign did not answer whether the donation and the letter were connected. ⁰¹

Why it matters

A six-figure donation to Paxton’s campaign was followed within a day by an official action from his office benefiting the donor’s institution. ⁰¹

What the sources show

The donation and its date come from campaign-finance records reported by the Texas Tribune; the letter is from the attorney general’s office. No finding of wrongdoing has been made. ^{01 02}