Latest news with #TexasAttorneyGeneral
Washington Post
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices' because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson announces run for Texas attorney general
State Sen. Nathan Johnson is running for Texas attorney general, the three-term Dallas Democrat announced Tuesday. He told The Texas Tribune that, if elected, he would look to restore 'faith and confidence' in an agency he believes has been stained by scandal and spectacle. 'It's been so long since people, broadly speaking, thought of the attorney general's office as a place where they have an attorney, an elected official on their side,' he said. 'And that's wrong.' Johnson, a business litigator at Thompson Coburn in Dallas, is the first major Democrat to enter the race. Two other state senators, Joan Huffman of Houston and Mayes Middleton of Galveston, are running in the Republican primary, alongside former Department of Justice lawyer Aaron Reitz. The position is open for the first time in more than a decade after Attorney General Ken Paxton decided to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year's GOP primary. Johnson faces strong headwinds: No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, and whoever wins the Democratic nomination will likely face a formidable GOP opponent. Middleton is well-funded, Huffman has a long legislative record and Reitz has already garnered significant backing from allies in conservative legal circles. But Johnson has experience winning tough races. As a political newcomer in 2018, he unseated Republican incumbent Don Huffines, becoming the first Democrat to win the North Dallas district in three decades. That was also a midterm year, where discontent over President Donald Trump's policies pushed Democrats to turn out at the polls and made mainstream Democrats like Johnson seem more palatable to independents and moderate Republicans. Johnson is hopeful that a similar midterm environment — and a campaign focused on fundamental shifts to the rule of law, weakening of the separation of powers and undermining of Texas' independence by the federal government — will lead some right-leaning voters to consider a Democrat. 'I'm not going to use the office to do what the Biden administration says or what the Trump administration says,' Johnson said in an interview. 'I'm going to use the office to do what it's supposed to do, which is to make sure that everybody knows the rules and that everybody follows the rules, and then if you don't follow the rules, there's consequences.' Over the last 20 years, the Texas Office of the Attorney General has led the charge among red states to aggressively litigate against Democratic presidents' agendas. Paxton's predecessor, now-Gov. Greg Abbott, started this trend, famously saying, 'I go into the office, I sue the federal government and I go home.' Paxton went even further, bragging about suing the Biden administration more than 100 times in four years. Johnson criticized Paxton for not bringing similar lawsuits against Trump, even when it might benefit Texas. He pointed to the 24 states that recently sued to release close to $7 billion in education funding. 'Why didn't we join that suit? Because [Paxton] doesn't want to challenge the Trump administration,' Johnson said. 'And that goes to the independence I think this office needs.' He also hopes to win over voters by promising a scandal-free tenure. During his time as Texas' top lawyer, Paxton was indicted for fraud, investigated by the FBI and impeached by the GOP-controlled state House. The Senate acquitted him; Johnson, along with every other Democrat in the chamber and two Republicans, was part of the outnumbered minority that voted to convict Paxton. Virtually all of those legal woes have been resolved in recent months, but the allegations — and Paxton's personal life — have been a cloud over the agency. Johnson said, among other priorities, he would focus on restoring some of the agency's less flashy obligations, like investigating Medicaid fraud and enforcing consumer protection laws. 'There's always good people there doing some good work, but the priorities have not always been good,' he said. 'I think we are talking about a fundamental shift in priorities in that office, that much is for sure.' Johnson has worked closely with Middleton and Huffman in the 31-member Senate and said he respected them personally. But he said voters could expect to get 'essentially a fourth-term Ken Paxton' if they elect any of the Republican candidates. 'The office is going to be used for political ends and not directed to the benefit of the people,' he said. 'Paxton has stained the office and I don't think the other people running are the right people to clean it up.' This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson to run for Texas attorney general
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson announces run for attorney general
State Sen. Nathan Johnson is running for Texas attorney general, the three-term Dallas Democrat announced Tuesday. He told The Texas Tribune that, if elected, he would look to restore 'faith and confidence' in an agency he believes has been stained by scandal and spectacle. 'It's been so long since people, broadly speaking, thought of the attorney general's office as a place where they have an attorney, an elected official on their side,' he said. 'And that's wrong.' Johnson, a business litigator at Thompson Coburn in Dallas, is the first major Democrat to enter the race. Two other state senators, Joan Huffman of Houston and Mayes Middleton of Galveston, are running in the Republican primary, alongside former Department of Justice lawyer Aaron Reitz. The position is open for the first time in more than a decade after Attorney General Ken Paxton decided to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year's GOP primary. Johnson faces strong headwinds: No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, and whoever wins the Democratic nomination will likely face a formidable GOP opponent. Middleton is well-funded, Huffman has a long legislative record and Reitz has already garnered significant backing from allies in conservative legal circles. But Johnson has experience winning tough races. As a political newcomer in 2018, he unseated Republican incumbent Don Huffines, becoming the first Democrat to win the North Dallas district in three decades. That was also a midterm year, where discontent over President Donald Trump's policies pushed Democrats to turn out at the polls and made mainstream Democrats like Johnson seem more palatable to independents and moderate Republicans. Johnson is hopeful that a similar midterm environment — and a campaign focused on fundamental shifts to the rule of law, weakening of the separation of powers and undermining of Texas' independence by the federal government — will lead some right-leaning voters to consider a Democrat. 'I'm not going to use the office to do what the Biden administration says or what the Trump administration says,' Johnson said in an interview. 'I'm going to use the office to do what it's supposed to do, which is to make sure that everybody knows the rules and that everybody follows the rules, and then if you don't follow the rules, there's consequences.' Over the last 20 years, the Texas Office of the Attorney General has led the charge among red states to aggressively litigate against Democratic presidents' agendas. Paxton's predecessor, now-Gov. Greg Abbott, started this trend, famously saying, 'I go into the office, I sue the federal government and I go home.' Paxton went even further, bragging about suing the Biden administration more than 100 times in four years. Johnson criticized Paxton for not bringing similar lawsuits against Trump, even when it might benefit Texas. He pointed to the 24 states that recently sued to release close to $7 billion in education funding. 'Why didn't we join that suit? Because [Paxton] doesn't want to challenge the Trump administration,' Johnson said. 'And that goes to the independence I think this office needs.' He also hopes to win over voters by promising a scandal-free tenure. During his time as Texas' top lawyer, Paxton was indicted for fraud, investigated by the FBI and impeached by the GOP-controlled state House. The Senate acquitted him; Johnson, along with every other Democrat in the chamber and two Republicans, was part of the outnumbered minority that voted to convict Paxton. Virtually all of those legal woes have been resolved in recent months, but the allegations — and Paxton's personal life — have been a cloud over the agency. Johnson said, among other priorities, he would focus on restoring some of the agency's less flashy obligations, like investigating Medicaid fraud and enforcing consumer protection laws. 'There's always good people there doing some good work, but the priorities have not always been good,' he said. 'I think we are talking about a fundamental shift in priorities in that office, that much is for sure.' Johnson has worked closely with Middleton and Huffman in the 31-member Senate and said he respected them personally. But he said voters could expect to get 'essentially a fourth-term Ken Paxton' if they elect any of the Republican candidates. 'The office is going to be used for political ends and not directed to the benefit of the people,' he said. 'Paxton has stained the office and I don't think the other people running are the right people to clean it up.' Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual , happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas' most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
Social Security Phishing Scam Targets Retirees
Phishing scams have been on the rise for quite some time and now there is a new target: retirees. A Social Security Administration phishing scam has been going around, and it can easily fool you if you're not paying close attention. The most recent scam that is going around relates to a phishing email being sent explaining that your Social Security number is under investigation for being linked to serious crimes. The email uses a sense of urgency to scare the recipients into clicking on a suspicious link or downloading a document, which can ultimately download malware onto your computer or steal your information. See the email some folks have been receiving below. 'We are conducting an ongoing inquiry into your Social Security Number and identity due to suspected links to drug trafficking. A series of international wire transfers to accounts on the Federal Trade Commission's restricted list has been flagged. There have been reports of suspicious activities associated with your Social Security Number in Texas and New Mexico. We would like to inform you that this document contains sensitive information and should be managed carefully. The document presented here is an official communication from the Social Security Administration, authorized by the Texas Attorney General. The Texas Court has directed the suspension of your Social Security Number due to its association with money laundering activities involving your bank accounts.' Receiving a threatening message like this can cause you to forget how to proceed in situations like this. When a professional-seeming email uses an urgent tone to convince you to click or download, you may just do what it says without actually thinking about it. But don't forget the steps to stay safe. Of course, it can be hard to tell whether an email is real or fake but there are a few things you can spot to know which you've received. One thing to look out for is whether the email addresses you by your name or in more broad terms. If it says, 'Dear Recipient,' that can be a sign that the email is not legit. If you received an email notifying you about something government related, such as a Social Security issue, there's a high possibility that it isn't real. These sorts of notifications would never be sent through an unsecured email. Always be sure to take extra precaution when receiving emails of this sort. There are a few ways you can protect yourself from phishing emails and being scammed. Things you can do include taking a moment and double checking any emails that seem urgent; use strong antivirus software; make sure to use unique, strong passwords and keep them up to date; keep your software updated; report any potential phishing attempts. If you do receive an email, you believe is a scam, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG): reportphishing@ as well as the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General: You can also mark the email as spam, which can help warn others who receive similar communications.
CBS News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
The race for Texas Attorney General is wide open and other changes ahead at the Capitol
For the first time in more than a decade, there will be a vacancy at the Texas Attorney General's Office. Now that Ken Paxton is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate against incumbent John Cornyn, multiple candidates have either announced their campaigns to become the state's top prosecutor while others have said they're strongly considering jumping into the race. Three Republicans have entered the race so far: State Senator Mayes Middleton of Galveston, who's pledged to spend $10 million dollars of his own money. Another State Senator, Joan Huffman of Houston, a former criminal court judge, is also in the race, and Aaron Reitz, who worked briefly in the Trump administration, and has worked for Paxton is running as well. In the Democratic primary, reports indicate State Senator Nathan Johnson of Dallas and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski, who ran four years ago, may run for Attorney General. As we've reported, the race for Texas Comptroller next year is accelerating as well. Three candidates are running in the Republican primary: Hancock will face former State Senator Don Huffines of Dallas and Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. Glenn Hegar, who served as Comptroller for a decade, is now the Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. The Texas Tribune reports that State Representative Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, is considering running in the Democratic primary for that office. The political dominoes are also falling inside the Texas Senate. In North Texas, there are two openings in Republican-held seats. Party activist Leigh Wambsganss is running for State Senate District 9 in Tarrant County after Senator Kelly Hancock resigned to become the Acting Texas Comptroller. Initially, State Representative Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, announced he was running for the special election to fill that seat, but he changed his mind, and instead is running for re-election. Governor Abbott called for a special election on November 4. In Senate District 22, Republican State Representative David Cook announced he is running to succeed Senator Brian Birdwell who announced he won't run for re-election. Earlier this year, Cook ran unsuccessfully for Speaker of the House. While Cook received a lot of support from House Republicans, he was defeated by Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock. Speaker Burrows has been endorsed by President Trump for his seat next year.
