This office serves to defend state agencies, officials and commissions against challenges to Texas laws and lawsuits from federal governments, while prosecuting criminal cases as necessary.
Paxton’s first deputy, Brent Webster, manages a large agency with hundreds of employees throughout the state who tackle cases ranging from human trafficking investigations to environmental regulations. Unfortunately, however, professional misconduct proceedings brought against Webster and his top aides is creating complications within his administration.
1. David Dewhurst
The Office of the Texas Attorney General provides legal services for various issues facing Texas, such as prosecuting corporations and individuals who violate environmental-protection laws or illegally extract natural resources. Furthermore, legal opinions can be requested by Governor Abbott or heads of state agencies and commissions as well as protecting state laws against challenges from outside sources as well as representing individual state employees against suit filed against their agencies and employees.
Under its auspices, this office takes action against individuals or corporations that misuse state funds, requiring those found mismanaging money to provide an account of their activities and assets. Furthermore, an audit is performed periodically on state accounts; any suspected cases of corruption or misuse will also be investigated by this office.
The Texas attorney general’s office consists of attorneys, investigators and other personnel supervised by a State Attorney General appointed by the governor and serving at his or her discretion. In addition to conducting audits and investigations of state agencies’ operations, this office also assists victims of crimes while licensing health care providers and veterinarians.
Dewhurst, a longtime politician and former land commissioner, enjoys support from right-wing donors that include Dallas businessman Kenny Trout, oil executive Albert Huddleston and East Texas poultry magnate Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim. Additionally, many Republican senators endorse him despite concerns over his inattention to insurance and education issues that propelled his campaign.
Dewhurst hails from Houston and is both an accomplished rancher and businessman. As part owner of Falcon Seaboard – an energy and investment firm that was purchased by CalEnergy in 1996 for its three gas-fired cogeneration power plants – Dewhurst became wealthy overnight, giving large sums away to Republican candidates and causes. Between 1994 and 1997 he contributed $105,000 towards George W. Bush’s two gubernatorial campaigns while from 1990-2002 he contributed over half a million dollars towards federal candidates as well as party organizations – giving away over half a million in donations alone between 1994-97 alone!
2. Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton was elected Texas attorney general on November 4, 2014 and took office January 5, 2015. As Texas’ top law enforcement officer, he leads more than 4,000 employees across 38 divisions and 117 offices. Paxton is responsible for enforcing child support orders, protecting Texans against fraud, upholding open government laws, offering legal advice to state officials, representing Texas in civil litigation proceedings as well as other duties. Together with Angela (guidance counselor at Legacy Christian Academy in Frisco), they attend Prestonwood Baptist Church together.
The Office of Texas Attorney General has grown steadily with changing political, economic and social conditions across Texas. Its rising role reflects growing pressures on state and local governments to regulate, police and bring about change; its unique place within state government cannot be replicated precisely by any other office. It exerts its unique strategic influence due to formal authority and strict constitutional limits placed upon other state officials as well as fluctuating constitutional limitations of part-time legislatures; court rulings rarely overturning attorney general actions taken within their sphere of jurisdiction; its central role within state civil litigation litigation cases is unparalleled by any other state office – no other office enjoys such strategic influence in state civil litigation matters!
After a successful tenure in the Texas House of Representatives, Paxton entered state Senate elections and won his current seat in 2022. Unfortunately, within months a Collin County grand jury charged Paxton with duping investors in a McKinney tech company; these allegations which Paxton denies and has yet to schedule his trial date.
In 2023, the 149-member Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach Paxton for misusing his position to help Nate Paul – an individual facing federal fraud investigations and who was one of Paxton’s donors – get through them. The Texas Tribune provided comprehensive coverage of Paxton’s trial here and on 16 articles of impeachment; Paxton was later cleared on all 16 counts but still plans on seeking reelection next year with potential challenges from Rep. Andrew Murr who led efforts against impeachment efforts against him and may well face primary opposition from his former House colleague whose impeachment management committee was responsible.
3. Greg Abbott
Greg Abbott quickly rose to become one of the most powerful and longest-serving attorneys generals in Texas history. His office is responsible for representing Governor Abbott as an ex officio member on state boards and commissions; filing lawsuits against those who violate laws or mishandle public funds; issuing legal opinions as requested by governors, heads of agencies or other officials/agency employees; as well as taking actions against persons violating environmental regulations or unlawfully extracting natural resources from Texas.
Attorney General Abbott became widely recognized for challenging Democratic U.S. President Barack Obama’s policies in court, often through lawsuits filed during his term against federal entities and frequently winning them – such as his fight for Ten Commandments to be displayed at Texas state Capitol grounds; for which the Supreme Court eventually sided with Abbott. He filed over 30 lawsuits during this time. Abbott often represented right-wing interests against federal decisions made during Obama’s presidency. His victories helped establish him as an aggressive champion for them – such as when the court agreed with him by ruling in his favor on display of Ten Commandments being displayed inside its walls – making him known for taking on Democratic policies made during Obama’s two terms in office compared with President Obama’s two terms in office; often challenging their policies head on.
Abbott used a different strategy than most Republicans during his own campaign, focusing instead on raising large sums from wealthy donors and raising money from them to get ahead in Washington. One former Tea Party activist from Bedford named Jonathan Stickland once stated that Abbott knew money was key to succeeding there; ultimately his strategy paid off and he won his first race for governorship in 2014.
Abbott published his 2017 memoir Broken But Unbowed while serving as attorney general of Texas. The book described his family’s hardships and politics; in it he advocated for convening a Convention of States to amend the U.S. Constitution – something never done before; while also standing up to some of the most radical Republican legislators during 2007 Legislature who attempted to tax money transfers that immigrants send home from Latin America or sue federal authorities over border security spending compensations.
In 2022, Abbott easily won reelection as governor against Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who alienated many Texans with his promise to seize semiautomatic firearms. With another presidential run expected in 2024 likely looming, pundits speculate on whether or not Abbott will accept this challenge. He is married to Cecilia Phelan Abbott – former school teacher and principal as well as being Texas’s first Hispanic First Lady and mother to daughter Cecilia as well as two beloved dogs named Pancake and Peaches!
4. Rick Perry
As a member of the United States Air Force, Rick Perry served as a C-130 tactical airlift pilot across North America, Europe and the Middle East before entering politics as governor of Texas in 1987 and later acting as commissioner of agriculture in Texas in 1987 and later later as governor. Perry championed fiscal conservatism during his term, overseeing legislation such as malpractice settlement caps and property tax cuts paid by schools; supporting military veterans through Crime Victims Compensation Fund creation; while helping strengthen military veterans community. Nonetheless, while both as governor and secretary of energy he has made headlines due to comments and statements concerning homosexuality that have caused considerable debate within Texas’ political circles and veteran community alike. However as governor as well as secretary of energy has caused considerable controversy due to anti-LGBT remarks made regarding homosexuality by both himself as governor as well as secretary of energy due to their anti-LGBT remarks regarding gay individuals that both governor and secretary energy have made headlines regarding their anti-LGBT statements related to homosexuality and anti-LGBT remarks related remarks as both governor and secretary of energy has made headlines due to controversial anti-LGBT comments made regarding homosexuality. However as both governor and secretary of energy has come under fire due to remarks made towards homosexual individuals regarding anti-LGBT remarks or statements concerning homosexuality regarding this topic.
The Office of the Attorney General offers many divisions focused on issues affecting all Texans. As well as prosecuting cases involving fraud or misappropriation of state funds, its investigators investigate human trafficking, Internet crimes targeting children and mortgage fraud – among other offenses. Furthermore, their law enforcement division employs Texas peace officers sworn under state law enforcement standards in investigating state crimes. Finally, Interpol and U.S. Department of Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network also work closely with their offices.
As well as representing Texas in court, the attorney general’s office also handles legal actions on behalf of Texans in other states or the federal government. Under Texas legislative approval, they have legal authority to sue or be sued regarding issues that affect residents in Texas – such as fighting federal regulations that contradict with state laws or attacking any overlapping national regulations that conflict with Texas legislation.
As part of its role in protecting the rights of Texans, the attorney general’s office investigates Medicaid and consumer fraud; collects court-ordered child support payments; ensures criminals receive due punishment; prosecutes sex offenders and conducts public corruption investigations.
The Texas legislature sets an annual budget that controls how much money goes to the Office of Attorney General in Texas, currently $320 Million from taxes and fees collected within Texas’ general revenue fund; this money helps cover operating expenses as well as more expensive areas of legal work such as litigation against federal entities.