Attorney General Paxton filed another lawsuit against a global hotel chain for misleading consumers about the true costs of hotel rooms in violation of Texas consumer protection laws. The lawsuit, filed against Hilton Domestic Operating Company, Inc. d/b/a Hilton Dopco, Inc. (“Hilton”), comes after Paxton recently filed a lawsuit against Hyatt and settled claims against Marriott for similar behavior. “Heightened inflation and worsening economic conditions have made it an even more pressing priority to protect Americans from predatory, […]
Attorney General Paxton
Paxton Files Lawsuit Against IRS Over Biden Plan to Impair Child Support Program
Attorney General Paxton sued the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) after a devastating policy change that would severely limit the ability of child support enforcement agencies (“CSEAs”) across the country to utilize valuable contractor resources to support the families they serve. The lawsuit aims to reverse the destructive policy. “It is unconscionable that millions of families will face the consequences of the Biden Administration’s actions, which will negatively impact child support programs across the nation as […]
Paxton Announces $1.4 Million Settlement with TotalEnergies Over Unlawful Pollution
Attorney General Paxton has secured a $1.4 million settlement in an environmental enforcement action against a Port Arthur refinery operated by TotalEnergies Petrochemicals & Refining USA, Inc. (“TotalEnergies”). “I’m pleased to announce this latest settlement, which highlights my office’s commitment to upholding the law and protecting Texas’s environment,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We will continue to ensure that companies who unlawfully pollute our air and waterways are held accountable and that they take proactive steps to prevent it from ever occurring again.” The Port Arthur […]
Paxton Launches Investigation into Gain-of-Function Research and Misrepresentations by Covid-19 Vaccine Manufacturers
Attorney General Paxton launched an investigation into the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson concerning whether they engaged in gain-of-function research and misled the public about doing so. Paxton is also investigating whether the companies misrepresented the efficacy of their Covid-19 vaccines and the likelihood of transmitting Covid-19 after taking the vaccines in violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The investigation will also look into the potential manipulation of vaccine trial data. This investigation concerns potentially fraudulent activity that falls outside the scope of legal immunity granted to manufacturers of the Covid-19 […]
Paxton Fights for Christian Baker Who Faces Another Totalitarian Attack on His Religious Beliefs
Attorney General Paxton filed a multistate amicus brief in the Colorado Supreme Court to defend Jack Phillips, who runs the Masterpiece Cakeshop, after he was wrongfully brought to court again for allegedly violating Colorado’s anti-discrimination law. Phillips has now spent the past decade defending his First Amendment rights. “I am profoundly disheartened by the targeted harassment experienced by baker Jack Phillips on the basis of his religion,” said Attorney General Paxton. “His victimization is emblematic of a […]
Paxton Issues Consumer Alert Warning Texans of Scammers Using the Attorney General’s Name to Steal Information
Attorney General Paxton issues this consumer alert to warn Texans of scammers who are using the Attorney General’s seal, name, and signature to steal consumers’ personal information. The scam is in the form of a letter that fraudulently uses the seal of the Social Security Administration and tries to scare consumers by claiming that the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has discovered illegal activity under their Social Security Number, that the Social Security Number has been suspended, and that […]
Paxton Sues Internet Company that Takes Advantage of Texas Consumers
Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit to stop an operation that sold internet access primarily to rural customers through an illegal scheme that often resulted in paying customers losing all internet access. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act by Jessica Garza, her husband Homero “Josh” or “Jayden” Garza, and the company the couple manages and controls, GEV IO, LLC d/b/a Nomad Internet, which perpetrated a $75 million deceptive scheme from their home in New Braunfels, Texas. Nomad acquired large quantities of SIM cards […]
Investigation by Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Leads to 17-Year Prison Sentence for Fraudster Pharmacist and $4 Million in Restitution for Opioid Diversion Scheme
Attorney General Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has successfully concluded an investigation that led to the conviction and sentencing of Anthony Obute, the owner and pharmacist in charge of Keystone Pharmacy in Houston. Obute was sentenced to 210 months of federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,000,000 in restitution to Medicare. “The illegal distribution of prescription narcotics worsens the nationwide opioid crisis that is destroying lives […]
Paxton Stands Up for Americans’ Constitutionally Protected Property Rights
Attorney General Paxton filed an amicus brief to defend the property rights of Americans. In a Utah-led brief filed before the U.S. Supreme Court, Paxton highlighted that the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment guarantees that the government will provide “just compensation” when it takes private property for public use. At issue in the case is the fact that certain states have not been safeguarding citizens’ property rights in this regard. If individuals do not […]
Paxton Urges Federal Regulators to Stop Abusing Their Positions to Promote Left-Wing Political Goals
Attorney General Paxton sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) Director Martin Gruenberg, and Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu about the promotion of left-wing political goals contributing to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”). The Utah-led letter notes that, prior to SVB’s collapse, state attorneys general raised concerns about the federal government’s increased focus on “climate risk,” including in a letter sent to Acting Comptroller Hsu in 2022. As the attention of federal regulators has increasingly shifted to combating climate change, […]