Paxton says he takes on big corporations. The settlement money didn’t go to Texans, and some went to donor-linked lawyers.
He did sue big companies, but the largest settlements went to the state treasury, not consumers, and $97 million in fees went to a firm employing his former aide.
Paxton’s campaign claims he takes on big corporations, naming food, drug and tech companies.
Source: Campaign statement, Sept. 24, 2026 · KERA News / The Texas TribuneWhat the record shows
Paxton’s office won privacy settlements of $1.4 billion from Meta and $1.375 billion from Google; that money goes to the state treasury, not to individual Texans. 01 04 Of the first $500 million from Meta, $225 million was set aside for outside lawyers’ fees. 02
A Texas Tribune/ProPublica investigation found his office approved 13 contingency-fee contracts with private law firms, more than the attorneys general of California, New York or Pennsylvania. The firm that billed $97 million on the Meta case employs a former Paxton aide, and three other contracts went to firms whose senior attorneys donated to his campaigns. 06
As a legislator he voted for the 2003 and 2011 laws limiting civil lawsuits, including caps on medical-malpractice damages, and against licensing and limiting payday lenders. The votes are listed below.
The record behind this
- Paxton’s Meta settlement: nothing for individual Texans, $225 million set aside for outside lawyers
Of the first $500 million, $275 million went to general revenue and $225 million to outside counsel fees.
- Paxton’s office awarded contingency-fee contracts to firms tied to a former aide and to donors
Keller Postman, which employs former Paxton aide Zina Bash, billed $97 million on the Meta case.
- Paxton’s Google settlement goes to the state treasury, not to consumers
The payments are deposited as state revenue.
- Paxton announces a string of new investigations weeks before early voting
In September 2026 alone, his office announced investigations of TriWest, hundreds of data center developments and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, the last three weeks before early voting begins Oct. 19. All are investigations; none has produced a finding.
The votes behind this
- Voted to cap what injured patients can recover for pain and suffering at $250,000HB 4: Civil lawsuit overhaul, including medical-malpractice damage caps. Passed; conference report adopted 110–34.
- Voted to expand rules that can make people who sue pay the other side’s legal costsHB 274: Civil lawsuit changes (“loser pays” cost shifting). Passed House 96–49; became law.
- Voted against licensing and regulating payday and auto-title lendersHB 2594: Licensing and regulation of payday and auto-title lenders. Passed House 84–50; he also voted against the final version. Became law.
- Voted against capping payday loansSB 1247: Limits on payday and auto-title loans. Passed Senate 24–6; died in a House committee.
Response
In defending the outside-counsel contracts, Paxton argued that large corporations have more legal resources than the state’s own lawyers, and a spokesperson said the contracts paid off for the state. 06
Sources
- 01Attorney General Ken Paxton secures $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over biometric dataOffice of the Texas Attorney General · July 30, 2024
- 02Texas AG Ken Paxton announces $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over data privacy concernsAustin American-Statesman · July 30, 2024
- 03Attorney General Ken Paxton finalizes settlement with Google for $1.375 billionOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Oct. 31, 2025
- 04Big Tech finds a foe in Texas’ robust consumer protection laws and AG Ken PaxtonThe Texas Tribune · June 3, 2026
- 05Attorney General Ken Paxton announces $700 million settlement with GoogleOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Dec. 22, 2023
- 06Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is handing more of his office’s work to costly private lawyersThe Texas Tribune / ProPublica · July 24, 2025
- 07Attorney General Paxton investigates Blue Cross Blue Shield over denials and delays of careOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Sept. 28, 2026
- 08Attorney General Paxton launches investigation into hundreds of data center developmentsOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Sept. 24, 2026
- 09Attorney General Ken Paxton investigates TriWest over wrongful denial of TRICARE claimsOffice of the Texas Attorney General · Sept. 1, 2026