Texas AG Ken Paxton refuses to answer questions on alleged voter fraud

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Flees Questions on Alleged Voter Fraud

Publication Date: July 24, 2026

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing mounting scrutiny after allegedly committing the very crime he has long vowed to prosecute: voter fraud.

A bombshell report earlier this month revealed that Paxton allegedly voted in six elections while registered at an address where he does not reside.

On Friday, while entering the Ronald Reagan Republican Center in Washington, D.C., Paxton was asked point-blank whether he had committed voter fraud. Rather than respond, the attorney general rushed inside.

This marks at least the third time this week that Paxton has physically fled from questions about the allegations. Earlier in the week, he abandoned a press conference when faced with tough questions, earning him the nickname "No Comment Ken" from Texas Democrats.

Journalist Aaron Rupar noted on X: "This is at least the third time just this week he's literally run away from questions of this sort."

On Thursday, Paxton also refused to answer whether he was ready to debate James Talarico, the Democratic Texas Senate candidate, who has publicly accused his opponent of voter fraud.

The alleged offense constitutes a second-degree felony, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and up to 20 years in prison. Paxton, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has previously advocated for cracking down on voter fraud while also threatening to disenfranchise Democratic voters.

Related coverage:

• Ken Paxton Flees Press Conference When Asked About His Scandals

CBS News Chief Bari Weiss Faces Criticism Over Editorial Decisions

Former 60 Minutes correspondent Cecilia Vega has revealed internal turmoil at CBS News under the leadership of newly appointed editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, alleging that network brass pushed for politically biased coverage and inserted factual errors into reporting.

Speaking at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference in New Orleans on Thursday, Vega described pressure from CBS's "new" top leadership on multiple stories before her dismissal.

Key Allegations

• SNAP Benefits Story: Vega said she faced backlash for telling a story about SNAP benefit cuts in West Virginia strictly through the eyes of local residents. Network executives demanded she interview Vice President JD Vance and reference his memoir Hillbilly Elegy — despite the fact that Vance is from Ohio, not West Virginia.

• ICE Protest Footage: Executives demanded that Vega include footage of protesters attacking plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota — footage that her team discovered did not exist.

• Iran Talking Point: Vega was instructed to insert a line into one of her scripts claiming Iran was "totally outgunned" by U.S. and Israeli forces — a detail she noted was a copy-paste administration talking point.

Background on Weiss

Weiss, founder of the pro-Israel blog The Free Press and a former New York Times opinion columnist, was tapped to run CBS News late last year despite having no experience in broadcast journalism, no traditional reporting background, and no prior leadership of a major news operation.

Critics argue that under Weiss's stewardship, CBS News has devolved from what was once considered the "gold standard" of broadcasting — home to legendary figures such as Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow — into an organization that has killed critical stories to protect the Trump administration. In December, Weiss reportedly pulled the plug on a story that would have been unfavorable to the administration.