The U.S. Chamber calls Paxton pro-business. He backs the tariffs it says hurt small businesses and the trial-lawyer contracts it warns against.
Accepting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement, Paxton says he has always been pro-business; the Chamber calls him a defender of free enterprise who will shield employers from lawsuit abuse.
Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsement, Austin, Oct. 18, 2026 · U.S. Chamber of CommerceMisleading: The claim points to real actions but leaves out facts that change the picture.
His office’s crackdown on a bank raised one small Texas city’s borrowing costs, and he was indicted for steering investors into a small startup without telling them he was paid.
What the record shows
Accepting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement, Paxton said voters know he was “definitely pro-business” in the Legislature, and the Chamber said it looks forward to working with him to shield job creators from lawsuit abuse. 01 02
He backs the tariffs the Chamber itself says hit small businesses. In April 2025 he said he “fully support[s] President Trump’s bold action” on trade. 03 The Chamber says small and midsize businesses saw “significant cost increases and supply chain disruptions” from those tariffs, and welcomed the Supreme Court decision striking them down. 04 In private, he told donors “it’s not tariffs” dragging his campaign. 16
On lawsuits, the Chamber says hiring contingency-fee trial lawyers “should be a last resort” for attorneys general. 06 Paxton’s office has signed 13 such contracts, more than California, New York or Pennsylvania, including one with a firm that employs a former Paxton aide and billed $97 million. 05
He has also turned the state’s consumer-protection powers on businesses whose choices clashed with his politics. A Texas Tribune and ProPublica review found 13 such investigations in two years, including GoFundMe after it removed a truckers’ fundraiser and Yelp over its notices about crisis pregnancy centers; a Texas judge dismissed the Yelp suit. 13 In 2024 his office opened an investigation into the World Federation of Advertisers; X, owned by his largest outside backer, was reportedly among the platforms at issue. 15 A federal judge struck down as unconstitutional a records-demand tool his office used on a company, which required businesses to hand over records immediately under threat of prosecution without a judge’s review. 14
When his office used a state gun law to bar Citigroup from most Texas municipal bond deals, the small city of Anna turned down Citi’s lowest bid after consulting his office, adding an estimated $277,334 in interest. 07 08 Researchers estimated the gun and energy “boycott” laws behind those reviews would cost Texas cities $303 million to $532 million in extra interest. 09 Before taking office, he was indicted for recruiting investors into a small McKinney tech company without telling them he was being paid, and later paid $271,000 in restitution to avoid trial. 10 11
Actions Paxton cites
- U.S. Chamber endorses Paxton as a defender of free enterprise
It says it looks forward to working with him on legal reform that shields job creators from lawsuit abuse.
The record behind this
- Paxton surrenders on felony charges of steering investors into a small McKinney startup
Prosecutors said he recruited investors for Servergy Inc. in 2011 without telling them he was being paid to do it.
- Study: Texas’ gun and energy boycott laws will cost cities $303 million to $532 million in extra interest
Researchers found borrowing costs rose after five large underwriters left the Texas municipal market. Paxton’s office reviews bond sales under these laws.
- After consulting Paxton’s office, the city of Anna rejects Citi’s lowest bond bid at a cost of $277,334
Paxton’s office was reviewing whether Citi could do business with Texas under the gun law.
- Paxton’s office bars Citigroup from most Texas municipal bond deals
His office said the designation “has the effect of halting its ability to underwrite most municipal bond offerings in Texas.”
- The U.S. Chamber says contingency-fee trial lawyers “should be a last resort” for attorneys general
- Paxton investigates the World Federation of Advertisers
X, owned by Elon Musk, his largest outside backer, was reportedly among the platforms at issue.
- Paxton pays $271,000 in restitution to the investors to avoid a securities fraud trial
- Review finds Paxton used consumer-protection probes against businesses and groups that clashed with his politics
Thirteen investigations in two years, including GoFundMe and Yelp. A Texas judge dismissed his suit against Yelp.
- Federal judge strikes down a records-demand tool Paxton’s office used on businesses
The law required immediate production of records under threat of criminal prosecution and barred the business from first going to a judge.
- Paxton says he “fully support[s]” Trump’s tariff actions
- Paxton’s office has signed 13 contingency-fee contracts with private law firms
That is more than the attorneys general of California, New York or Pennsylvania. One firm, which employs a former Paxton aide, billed $97 million on the Meta case.
- The U.S. Chamber says tariffs brought small businesses “significant cost increases and supply chain disruptions”
It welcomed the Supreme Court decision striking down the tariffs.
Paxton’s response
Paxton has defended the outside-counsel contracts as worth it for the state. 05 Citigroup said it does not discriminate against the firearms sector and believed it complied with Texas law. 08
Sources
- 01U.S. Chamber to Endorse Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate in TexasU.S. Chamber of Commerce · Oct. 18, 2026
- 02Travis County leaders weigh in as early voting approachesKXAN · Oct. 18, 2026
- 03On the issues: A Q&A with U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico, Ken Paxton and Ted BrownThe Texas Tribune · Oct. 13, 2026
- 04U.S. Chamber Welcomes Supreme Court Decision on TariffsU.S. Chamber of Commerce · Feb. 20, 2026
- 05Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is handing more of his office’s work to costly private lawyersThe Texas Tribune / ProPublica · July 24, 2025
- 06State AGs Cut Ties with Contingency-Fee LawyersU.S. Chamber of Commerce · March 23, 2023
- 07Citigroup snubbed on muni deal over gun law, costing Texas city $277,334Bloomberg News (via American Banker) · Sept. 16, 2022
- 08Texas AG to halt most of Citigroup's municipal offerings on gun law rowReuters (via Yahoo News) · Jan. 2023
- 09Texas Fought Against ESG. Here's What It CostKnowledge at Wharton · July 12, 2022
- 10Paxton surrenders in securities fraud indictmentThe Texas Tribune · Aug. 3, 2015
- 11Ken Paxton agrees to community service, paying restitution to avoid trial in securities fraud caseThe Texas Tribune · March 26, 2024
- 12Paxton takes aim at more Texas businessesCBS Texas · March 11, 2024
- 13Here are the organizations that Ken Paxton targeted using consumer protection lawsThe Texas Tribune / ProPublica · May 30, 2024
- 14Paxton’s Probes in Flux After Texas Court Yanks Powerful ToolBloomberg Law · Oct. 15, 2024
- 15Elon Musk is the donor behind Senate Republicans’ massive rescue mission for Ken PaxtonThe Texas Tribune · Oct. 15, 2026
- 16What Ken Paxton Alleges About John Cornyn in Leaked AudioNewsweek · Oct. 10, 2026