Ken Paxton’s security for travel cost taxpayers millions. Just 1 in 6 trips had stated business
A records review found that most of his trips with a state-funded security detail lacked a documented business purpose.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Salon, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting is attributed to ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, established newsrooms, and describes its records-based methodology. Salon clearly identifies the article as originally appearing on ProPublica.
- Track record — The reporting is credited to ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, established investigative and regional news organizations.
- Transparency — The article describes the public records and documents the newsrooms reviewed.
- Author attribution — The page identifies the author and states that the article originally appeared on ProPublica.
- Source type — The Salon page is recorded as opinion, but the article itself presents attributed investigative reporting.
The article draws on travel logs, receipts, calendars and public records, gives specific figures, and includes responses from Paxton’s office and the state agency as well as expert views. Paxton did not respond to the detailed questions, and many trip purposes could not be established from available records.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article presents detailed records and expert criticism, while also including the office’s security explanation and the attorney general’s office’s account of work-related travel. Paxton did not provide a direct response to the detailed questions, and the available records leave many trip purposes undocumented.
- Counterarguments presented — Paxton’s office cited security threats and his office said legal work requires routine travel.
- Source diversity — The article uses records, experts, officials and a statement from Paxton’s office.
- Omitted context — Paxton did not answer detailed questions, leaving his explanations for specific trips unavailable.
- Loaded language — The headline emphasizes the adverse findings, though much of the story’s evaluative language is attributed.
The article’s framing is critical of Paxton’s travel and use of taxpayer-funded security, but it relies on records, attributes expert judgments and includes his office’s explanation. The reporting does not show a clear partisan lean.
- Language tone — Mostly factual language, with critical judgments attributed to quoted experts.
- Source selection — The article includes experts’ criticisms and Paxton’s office’s security rationale.
- Framing — The headline foregrounds the costs and the limited number of trips with stated business purposes.
Republished with credit
Republished from ProPublica, with credit to the original publisher.
13 stories · 87–91 · updated Oct 12, 2026
This is ProPublica's own score, and this article is credited to ProPublica. The host score in the Source Check is Salon's.
A ProPublica and Texas Tribune review found that Ken Paxton’s state-funded security detail accompanied nearly 1,000 trips costing $3.3 million, while records connected only 138 trips and $553,000 to state business. Paxton’s office cited security threats but did not provide trip-specific records.
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reviewed travel and security records and found that since taking office in 2015, Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 trips with a state-funded security detail. The newsrooms could connect 138 trips and $553,000 in security costs to state business; records giving a business purpose for many other trips were unavailable. They also reported that last year only five of his 91 trips with the detail had a listed business purpose.
Paxton did not answer detailed questions about the travel. His office said he faced security threats because of his work against cartels and violent criminals, while the Texas Department of Public Safety declined to discuss its security arrangements. The article also notes that Paxton’s office says his legal work requires routine travel, and quotes experts raising questions about the detail’s use for trips without a documented business purpose.
Community verdict
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SWIPE →Texas attorney general and Senate candidate whose taxpayer-funded security travel is under scrutiny
U.S. senator from Texas
Part of a bigger story
4 OUTLETSAn investigation found Ken Paxton took nearly 1,000 trips with state-funded security, while records linked only a fraction to state business. Left-leaning outlets frame the spending as misuse of public funds, with one highlighting trips during Paxton’s suspension; center outlets emphasize the records, limited stated business purposes and his office’s lack of detailed answers.
- ARTICLES
- 5
- OUTLETS
- 4
- AVG CRED
- 72
- Raw Story · Ken Paxton took at least 17 trips while suspended — and taxpayers paid for his security
- The New Republic · Ken Paxton Caught Using Taxpayer Funds for Hundreds of Vacations
- ProPublica · Ken Paxton’s Security for Travel Cost Taxpayers Millions. Just 1 in 6 of His Trips Had a Stated Business Purpose.
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