Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Is Outsourcing More of His Office’s Work to Costly Private Lawyers

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's increased reliance on expensive private lawyers to handle state cases has raised concerns. This practice involves attorneys with personal or political ties to Paxton, bypassing the office's hundreds of in-house attorneys. One example is Zina Bash, whose firm billed $3,780 per hour, significantly exceeding her previous salary. Paxton's outsourcing surpasses that of his predecessors and other large states, particularly concerning contingent-fee contracts. A notable case involved Keller Postman, Bash's firm, earning $97 million from the Meta settlement. The lack of competitive bidding for these contracts and the attorney general's exemption from solicitation requirements are questionable. Experts raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety. Paxton defends his actions, citing resource limitations when facing large corporations. Critics, however, argue that Texas's large legal team should be sufficient and that Paxton's actions stem from his own mismanagement. A past scandal involving Dan Morales underscores the potential pitfalls of such practices. The situation highlights a potential conflict of interest and questionable ethical conduct.