
Zach Despart
@zachdespart
Followers
16K
Following
12K
Media
2K
Statuses
18K
Investigative reporter @texastribune. Alum @houstonchron & @uvmvermont. NY native. Dalmatian dad.
Texas
Joined February 2015
A few months ago I noticed something unusual: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is increasingly outsourcing big cases to private lawyers — even though his office has 700+ attorneys in-house, with several specialized divisions. So we dug in. .
155
4K
22K
RT @taygoldenstein: Hi Texas! I’ve been in Chicago this week covering the Texas House Democrats breaking quorum here. I’ll be on Reddit a….
0
23
0
Jay Root today
Texas legislators are at the #NYS Capitol today and, as a native of Liberty, TX, I’m here for it. @GovKathyHochul “exploring” ways to redraw lines in NY to counter redistricting effort in TX.
0
0
9
RT @emfoxhall: We got answers at a state hearing this morning about what the Kerr County Judge, who is in charge of emergency management, a….
texastribune.org
Their statements to state legislators marked the first time county officials have spoken publicly about what they were doing the morning of the disaster that killed more than 100 people in the county.
0
19
0
RT @MWatkinsTrib: "If the DEA comes, I can't get caught with this stuff.". @McGeeReports got a recording in which a friend of Ag Commission….
texastribune.org
Miller denies wrongdoing after allegations surfaced during an investigation into one of his aides, who pled guilty to bribery. The agriculture commissioner has not been charged with a crime.
0
17
0
RT @rebekahallen: 1/ A former friend of Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told DPS that in 2022 Miller asked him to dispose of 3 ba….
0
5
0
RT @McGeeReports: New: public records show a former friend of Sid Miller & a former Ag commission employee told state police Miller feared….
texastribune.org
Miller denies wrongdoing after allegations surfaced during an investigation into one of his aides, who pled guilty to bribery. The agriculture commissioner has not been charged with a crime.
0
15
0
RT @eklib: BREAKING: The Texas House’s proposal to redraw the state’s congressional map is out. More, much more, TK at @TexasTribune but me….
0
31
0
RT @TexasTribune: In the past five years, Ken Paxton has grown increasingly reliant on pricey private lawyers to argue cases on behalf of t….
texastribune.org
Despite having an office with hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton frequently opts to hire private lawyers. One cost taxpayers more than $24,000 in one day.
0
25
0
RT @propublica: Texas AG Ken Paxton hired a former staffer to work on a recent case. As a state employee, her labor would have cost taxpaye….
propublica.org
Despite having an office of hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton is frequently opting for private lawyers — many to whom he has personal or political ties — to argue on behalf of Texas. One attorney...
0
218
0
RT @zahiratorres: Texas AG Ken Paxton has grown increasingly reliant on pricey private lawyers to argue cases on behalf of the state, rathe….
propublica.org
Despite having an office of hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton is frequently opting for private lawyers — many to whom he has personal or political ties — to argue on behalf of Texas. One attorney...
0
37
0
RT @rebekahallen: Texas AG Ken Paxton is increasingly relying on outside counsel for the state’s litigation despite overseeing hundreds of….
0
55
0
RT @ViannaDavila: Proud to have edited this excellent investigation from @zachdespart about TX Attorney General Ken Paxton's increasing use….
propublica.org
Despite having an office of hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton is frequently opting for private lawyers — many to whom he has personal or political ties — to argue on behalf of Texas. One attorney...
0
11
0
Paxton's outside firms have settled two cases so far, netting Texas $2 billion+. But they have also netted massive paydays for the lawyers — $143m in the Meta case. The fees for a recent settlement w/Google aren't final, but could exceed $350 million.
texastribune.org
Despite having an office with hundreds of attorneys, Ken Paxton frequently opts to hire private lawyers. One cost taxpayers more than $24,000 in one day.
44
351
2K
We found these contingent-fee contracts are unusual. We couldn’t find any awarded by his two Republican predecessors, @JohnCornyn & @GregAbbott_TX. And during Paxton's tenure, the CA, NY & PA AGs have awarded 1 of these combined. Paxton has awarded 13.
8
257
2K