KEN PAXTON

Gohmert joins a crowded field of Republicans looking to unseat incumbent Ken Paxton.

U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert has joined the crowded field of Republicans mounting primary challenges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

As COVID cases rise, Austria is strictly limiting activities for unvaccinated residents. The lockdown announcement sparked protests in Vienna.

FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden arrived in Houston to encourage pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations. FOX 26 caught up with the First Lady as her flight landed Saturday afternoon.

Some Minnesota homeowners were coated with more than three inches of snow Saturday night. While three inches of snow isn’t anything Minnesotans can’t handle, there’s no denying that each year the first snowfall is special.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was joined by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy as part of the White House's efforts to visit pediatric vaccination clinics across the country over the coming weeks to encourage shots

Council Member Alison Alter talks Sunday's "Kindness Rally" and the recent Winter Storm Uri report.

Fox NewsFox News anchor Chris Wallace repeatedly grilled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Sunday over what he perceived to be hypocrisy from the state’s right-wing leaders’ stance on vaccine mandates.Last month, in response to the White House announcing that workers of large companies will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly, GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order banning “any entity” in the state from enforcing a vaccine mandate. On top of that, Abbott also

Federal Judge Lee Yeakel ruled that the ban ordered by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott violated a law protecting access to public education for disabled students who are particularly vulnerable to COVID.

A lawsuit over new voting laws in Texas is bringing the state into court once again with the Biden administration.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a petition for review in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the validity of Biden's mandate.

The Biden administration is suing Texas over new voting rules that outlasted a summer of dramatic protests by Democrats.

The Justice Department and abortion providers argue the Texas law conflicts with a constitutional right established nearly 50 years ago in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

Texas officials urged the Supreme Court to deny the request from the Biden administration to block enforcement of its law banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

But if justices take up the issue, they should overturn the constitutional right to abortion, it said.

In a separate case, the high court allowed the law to go into effect on a divisive 5 to 4 vote last month.

Texas' attorney general had asked the court earlier Friday to pause the decision that blocked the state from implementing the law.

A federal appeals court is temporarily allowing the nation’s toughest abortion law to resume in Texas.

Ken Paxton, Texas' attorney general, filed the motion in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier in the day Friday asking the court to pause the decision that prohibited the state from enforcing the law.

Abortions in Texas can resume under a federal judge’s ruling, but for how long.

Abortions have resumed in at least six Texas clinics after a federal judge halted the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S. Amy Hagstrom Miller is the president of Whole Woman's Health, which has four clinics in Texas.

A U.S. Senate candidate in Missouri, Republican state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, is flexing the power of his office by filing a slew of lawsuits, including against Democratic cities and schools to stop mask mandates.

The energy company went bankrupt after a multiday freeze that left some customers with sky-high power bills.

School districts made a “sufficient showing” that the ban is “unlawful ... violates the Texas Constitution and would cause irreparable harm,” the judge ruled.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was one of hundreds whose communications with the Trump administration was requested by the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection.

The often-heated debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms.

U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker handed Texas another win against the Biden administration Friday, this time over Medicaid funding, granting Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request for an injunction and denying the administration’s motion to dismiss.

"Massive resistance" to mask mandates and vaccinations is taking a heavy economic toll on the state, experts say.

The judge reasoned that Governor Abbott did not have the enforcement authority to ban mask mandates "against Texas independent school districts."

Public schools in the state will no longer be barred from mandating face masks — for now.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is calling on parents to take seriously the coronavirus risks for children and to ensure students wear face masks.

Public schools in the state will no longer be barred from mandating face masks — for now.

A surge of COVID-19 cases is prompting federal courts to impose new restrictions and requirements for mask-wearing and vaccinations.

Republicans: Local control for me but not for thee

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the Dallas Independent School District announced​ Sunday night that masks will still be required while on district property.

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the Dallas Independent School District announced​ Sunday night that masks will still be required while on district property.

Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily BeastIn late 2020, as then-President Donald Trump was waging a multi-front campaign to cling to power, a little-known attorney and self-described former special ops commander began working on Trump’s behalf, badgering senior Justice Department officials in an effort to rope them into the plot.In the months since Trump’s failed coup attempt, government documents and emails have further revealed the extent of this attorney Kurt Olsen’s behind-the-scenes

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton (R) has vowed to take Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to ban face mask mandates to the state's Supreme Court, as COVID-19 cases surge across the state.Driving the news: Paxton's announcement just before midnight Friday follows three defeats in the lower courts on the enforcement of Abbott's May executive order prohibiting government entities in the state, including public schools, from requiring masks.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets.

A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily halted an order from Abbott that banned mask mandates.

Psaki was responding to Fox News' Peter Doocy, who suggested Biden was responsible for vaccine hesitancy.

A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily halted an order from Abbott that banned mask mandates.

Republican governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton jointly petitioned the Fifth Court of Appeals Wednesday to strike down Dallas County's mask mandate, claiming it was an infringement on an earlier executive order prohibiting their requirement in the state by government entities or officials.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the filing of a petition Wednesday to strike down an emergency order mandating masks in schools, businesses and county buildings in Dallas County.Why it matters: Their statement threatens that "any school district, public university or local government official that decides to defy the order will be taken to court." Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeState of play

Florida has reported 21,683 new cases of COVID-19, the state’s highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, according to federal health data released Saturday.

Bush, whose family has roots in the state and the Republican Party, had been angling for Trump’s backing.

Florida’s attorney general, Ashley Moody, tweeted Wednesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19.

Lawyers for Texas’ embattled attorney general have asked the state bar association to drop its investigation into whether the Republican’s failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election amounted to professional misconduct.

Lawyers for Texas' embattled attorney general have asked the state bar association to drop its investigation into whether the Republican's failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election amounted to professional misconduct, arguing the probe is an unconstitutional overreach. In late May, the State Bar of Texas began looking into Attorney General Ken Paxton's petitioning of the U.S. Supreme Court to block Joe Biden’s victory based on bogus claims of fraud. The investigation was prompted by a Democratic Party activist’s complaint that the Republican official's actions were frivolous and unethical.

A federal lawsuit claimed AG Paxton violated First Amendment rights when he blocked individuals on Twitter.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was among several key speakers at CPAC in Dallas. He told attendees not to believe the election fraud “narrative.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is prosecuting Hervis Rogers, who allegedly voted before his parole ended. Paxton has made prosecuting alleged cases of voter fraud a core mission of his office.

An Oakhurst man is facing charges for his alleged involvement in the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol.

Legal action is being taken against a Texas couple who allegedly scammed Black people out of huge sums of money. Marlon Moore and his wife LaShonda of Prosper, Texas are being accused of running an illegal pyramid scheme. On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the couple, per NBCDFW.

Republicans tried for a third time to kill Obamacare and fell short.

Supreme Court, in 7-2 vote, rejects attempt to void the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for those with preexisting conditions.

Blessings in No Time is accused of creating a pyramid scheme to steal tens of millions from people in Texas and across the country.

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyAfter briefly swearing off political donations in the wake of the Capitol riot, Boeing is now throwing cash at officials who fought to overturn the results of the 2020 election.In a recent filing with the Federal Election Commission, the defense contractor’s political action committee reported major contributions to three Republican members of Congress who voted to challenge the results of the Electoral College: Rep. Steve Scalise; Rep. Vicky Hartzler;

Texas AG Ken Paxton's Supreme Court lawsuit to overturn Biden's win could get him disbarred

The Texas bar association has opened an investigation into whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election amounted to professional misconduct.

The Texas bar association is investigating whether state Attorney General Ken Paxton's failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election based on bogus claims of fraud amounted to professional misconduct. The State Bar of Texas initially declined to take up a Democratic Party activist's complaint that Paxton's petitioning of the U.S. Supreme Court to block Joe Biden’s victory was frivolous and unethical. The investigation is yet another liability for the embattled attorney general, who is facing a years-old criminal case, a separate, newer FBI investigation, and a Republican primary opponent who is seeking to make electoral hay of the various controversies.

Texas GOP Chairman Allen West is stepping down after a short but combative run of using the job to antagonize top Republicans in America’s biggest red state.

The grandson and nephew of the two Bush presidents accused Paxton of bringing "too much scandal" to the office.

Republican George P.

George P. Bush on Wednesday launched his next political move: a run for Texas attorney general in 2022 that puts the scion of a Republican dynasty against a GOP incumbent shadowed by securities fraud charges and an FBI investigation. Bush, who has served as Texas' land commissioner since 2015, is the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and the nephew and grandson of two former presidents.

The Texas Legislature is on the verge of signing off on some of the most restrictive voting measures in the U.S. A vote was expected Sunday in the GOP-controlled Texas House that would send Republican Gov. Greg Abbott a raft of election changes that would eliminate drive-thru voting and empower partisan poll watchers.

Texas Republicans are digging in for a final weekend vote on some of the most restrictive new voting laws in the U.S. A sweeping bill finalized Saturday would eliminate drive-thru voting, reduce polling hours and scale back Sunday voting.

A judge has rejected the National Rifle Association’s bankruptcy bid, blocking its plan to reincorporate in Texas.

A California judge has dismissed a Twitter lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in which the social medium accused the Republican of using his office to retaliate for Twitter's banning the account of former President Donald Trump. Twitter had imposed the lifetime ban following the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in which five people died. Days later, Paxton announced an investigation into Twitter and four other major technology companies for what he called “the seemingly coordinated de-platforming of the President.”

Mexican authorities said Monday that the Russians have been having so many problems producing the second dose of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine that Russia probably will be unable to supply enough to people who got the first dose. Sputnik is unusual among coronavirus vaccines in that the two doses are different and not interchangeable. The Russian vaccine uses a modified version of the common cold-causing adenovirus to carry genes for the spike protein in the coronavirus as a way to prime the body to react if COVID-19 comes along.

The Supreme Court has refused to consider Texas’ challenge to California’s ban on state-funded business trips to Texas and other states deemed to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

These are busy days for Republican state attorneys general, filing repeated lawsuits that claim President Joe Biden and his administration are overstepping their authority on immigration, climate change, the environment and taxes.

That increased the state’s totals to 839,334 confirmed cases and 16,912 confirmed deaths. Ad___RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil accounts for a quarter of the daily coronavirus global deaths, more than any other nation. AdThere have been 12.4 million confirmed cases and more than 307,000 confirmed deaths in Brazil, second only to the United States. AdPakistan has reported 649,824 total confirmed cases and 14,158 confirmed deaths. The nation of 10.7 million had 1.5 million confirmed cases with 25,639 deaths.

Doug Ducey said the site switch will maintain the state’s vaccination program’s presence in southeastern Maricopa County while protecting staff, volunteers and people getting vaccinated. Greece is currently grappling with a surge in coronavirus infections which has seen many hospitals run by the state health system reach capacity. 23, a total of 42,028 COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed on the island nation of around 900,000 people, of which 248 died due to COVID-19. Kate Brown said those groups will now be eligible to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5. ___PHOENIX — Arizona on Friday reported 571 new coronavirus cases and 24 deaths as the number of virus-related hospitalizations remained fairly stable.

Committee Ranking Member Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., speaks during a hearing to examine the nomination of former Gov. – Attorneys general from 21 states on Wednesday sued to to overturn President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the contentious Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. Led by Ken Paxton of Texas and Austin Knudsen of Montana, the states said Biden had overstepped his authority when he revoked the permit for the Keystone pipeline on his first day in office. Construction on the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) pipeline began last year when former President Donald Trump revived the long-delayed project after it had stalled under the Obama administration. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana.

FILE - This Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks in Washington, at a rally in support of President Donald Trump. The attorney general's office and Gleason have not responded to repeated requests for comment. Case records show proceeds from the sale went to Tom Gleason as well as his mother and father, Alfred Gleason. Reached by phone, Tom Gleason said he does not speak to reporters and hung up. On Jan. 25, he was in Austin preparing to give a presentation, which the attorney general’s office declined to release.

Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc., the oldest and biggest generation and transmission power cooperative in Texas has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following last months winter storm that left millions without power. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)The largest and oldest power cooperative in Texas is filing for bankruptcy protection, citing last month’s winter storm that left millions without power, and it is unlikely to be the last utility to seek shelter in the courts. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative serves distributors that supply electricity to more than 1.5 million Texans in 68 counties from the Panhandle to Houston. Brazos said Monday that it was a “financially robust, stable company” before the Arctic freeze that hit Texas between Feb. 13 and Feb. 19. Ed Hirs, who teaches energy economics at the University of Houston, is sure there will be more power company bankruptcies.

FILE - This Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks in Washington, at a rally in support of President Donald Trump. That’s the real litmus test,” said Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who pointed toward the deportation lawsuit and challenges last year to mail-in ballot applications around his Houston district. Paxton's budget requests may yet force Republican lawmakers to consider the exodus from his office. Greg Abbott — who has previously said the accusations raise “serious concerns” — and Paxton did not respond to questions. He has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he defrauded investors in a tech startup before becoming attorney general.

A federal judge on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, barred the U.S. government from enforcing a 100-day deportation moratorium that is a key immigration priority of President Joe Biden. Tipton said the Biden administration had failed to provide any concrete, reasonable justification for a 100-day pause on deportations. (AP Photo/Emilio Espejel, File)HOUSTON – A federal judge on Tuesday barred the U.S. government from enforcing a 100-day deportation moratorium that is a key immigration priority of President Joe Biden. That was a reversal from Trump administration policy that made anyone in the U.S. illegally a priority for deportation. The 100-day moratorium went into effect Friday and applied to almost anyone who entered the U.S. without authorization before November.

The Republican attorneys general for 17 other states made legal filings supporting his effort, which was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Republican attorneys general for 17 other states made legal filings supporting his effort, which was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Republican Attorneys General Association and its counterpart group for Democrats launched two decades ago. Eight Republican attorneys general opted against joining Paxton's effort. Doug Gansler, a former Democratic attorney general in Maryland, said attorneys general should not file motions based on "imaginary evidence,” but expects judges to see those filings as political actions that do not taint the regular work of attorneys general.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – “Where are they?” a Trump supporter demanded in a crowd of dozens roaming the halls of the Capitol, bearing Trump flags and pounding on doors. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didn’t. Yet Trump, in a video posted 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated, told the insurrectionists “We love you. Under the very risers set up for Biden’s inauguration, Trump supporters clashed with police who blasted pepper spray in an attempt to hold them back. He said security officers urged lawmakers to put gas masks on and herded them into a corner of the massive room.

At least two local Black churches had Black Lives Matter banners torn down and set ablaze. Tarrio was accused of burning one of the Black Lives Matter banners in December and was found with two high-capacity firearm magazines, police said. A number of prominent Trump supporters were expected to attend, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and longtime Trump ally Roger Stone, the recipient of a pardon by the president. During previous pro-Trump protests, police sealed off Black Lives Matter Plaza itself, but the confrontations spilled out to the surrounding streets. Black Lives Matter Plaza was sealed off Tuesday.

FILE - In this June 28, 2020 file photo, Texas' Attorney General Ken Paxton waits on the flight line for the arrival of Vice President Mike Pence at Love Field in Dallas. “The legal services cannot be adequately performed by the attorneys and supporting personnel,” of the attorney general’s office, Paxton wrote. In response to questions for this story, Kayleigh Date, spokeswoman for Paxton's office, said “the contract speaks for itself." It’s unclear where the request for $43 million stands, and Paxton’s office did not answer questions about it. For instance, while Lanier was representing two Ohio counties in their landmark opioid lawsuit, Texas used state employees for its similar case against pharmaceutical company John­son & Johnson.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – Bracing for possible violence, the nation's capital has mobilized the National Guard ahead of planned protests by President Donald Trump's supporters in connection with the congressional vote expected Wednesday to affirm Joe Biden's election victory. Now with downtown D.C. businesses boarding up their windows, Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested a limited National Guard deployment to help bolster the Metropolitan Police Department. Because D.C. does not have a governor, the designated commander of the city’s National Guard is Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. The D.C. Guard will provide specialized teams that will be prepared to respond to any chemical or biological incident. But the official said there will be no D.C. Guard members on the National Mall or at the U.S. Capitol.

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2019, file photo people rally outside the Supreme Court over President Trump's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), at the Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)HOUSTON – A federal judge did not immediately issue a ruling following a court hearing Tuesday on the fate of a U.S. program shielding immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. The states also argued that DACA illegally awards benefits such as work authorization to recipients and has increased states' costs, including $250 million a year for social services to DACA recipients in Texas. President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to protect DACA, but a ruling against the program could limit his ability to keep the program or something similar in place. In 2015, Hanen ruled Obama could not expand DACA protections or institute a program shielding their parents.

The Trump administration has fully restored the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for immigrants brought to the U.S. as youth, complying with a federal judge's order. Arguing in favor of the program is a coalition of DACA recipients, represented by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. MALDEF argues that Texas and the other states lack standing, the ground on which the Supreme Court dismissed the state's election challenge. Advocates are calling for Congress to pass permanent protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. as youths. Opponents of the program argue that Obama illegally circumvented Congress months before his 2012 re-election and that he failed to follow federal procedure in establishing the program.

The elections lawsuit pushed by President Donald Trump and dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court was filled with claims that failed to withstand basic scrutiny. Together, Trump and his allies argued that the high court should set aside all four states’ votes, allowing Republican-led state legislatures to swing the election to the president. It’s just a fact.”The Supreme Court dismissed the case without addressing most of the lawsuit's allegations. Here is a look at some of the claims made in the case and how those claims had already been debunked. ___THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS: There are “facts for which no independently verified reasonable explanation yet exists.”THE FACTS: Each of the listed "facts” has an independently verified explanation.

Kathy Kratt of Orlando, Fla., displays her Trump flags as she and other protesters demonstrate their support for President Donald Trump at the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. Trump bemoaned the decision late Friday, tweeting: “The Supreme Court really let us down. Two days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed his suit, Trump jumped into the high court case. “If the Supreme Court shows great Wisdom and Courage, the American People will win perhaps the most important case in history, and our Electoral Process will be respected again!” he tweeted Friday afternoon. Many Republican voters in several states won by Biden have demanded that their elected officials find a way to invalidate the president-elect's victories.

The elections lawsuit pushed by President Donald Trump and dismissed Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court was filled with claims that failed to withstand basic scrutiny. Together, Trump and his allies argued that the high court should set aside all four states’ votes, allowing Republican-led state legislatures to swing the election to the president. It’s just a fact.”The Supreme Court dismissed the case without addressing most of the lawsuit's allegations. Here is a look at some of the claims made in the case and how those claims had already been debunked. ___THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS: There are “facts for which no independently verified reasonable explanation yet exists.”THE FACTS: Each of the listed "facts” has an independently verified explanation.

Kathy Kratt of Orlando, Fla., displays her Trump flags as she and other protesters demonstrate their support for President Donald Trump at the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. Trump bemoaned the decision late Friday, tweeting: “The Supreme Court really let us down. Two days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed his suit, Trump jumped into the high court case. “If the Supreme Court shows great Wisdom and Courage, the American People will win perhaps the most important case in history, and our Electoral Process will be respected again!” he tweeted Friday afternoon. Many Republican voters in several states won by Biden have demanded that their elected officials find a way to invalidate the president-elect's victories.

AUSTIN, Texas – A lawsuit that President Donald Trump is now calling “the big one” in his effort to overturn the outcome of the presidential election is helmed by an embattled Texas ally who is likewise trying to reverse his own skidding fortunes. On Wednesday, 17 Republican-led states threw support behind Paxton's lawsuit that rehashes numerous disproven and unsupported allegations of illegal voting. “He's playing to the hometown crowd with that lawsuit,” said Bill Miller, a longtime GOP political consultant in Texas who talks with Paxton. Paxton, who has broadly denied wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty in the securities fraud case, has said he will not resign. “I feel sorry for Texans that their tax dollars are being wasted on such a genuinely embarrassing lawsuit,” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul tweeted.

The Supreme Court has rejected Republicans' last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvanias certification of President-elect Joe Bidens victory in the electoral battleground. “We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case,” Trump said hours before the high court filing. Shortly before tweeting about joining Paxton's case, Trump distanced himself from the Pennsylvania challenge, saying it wasn't his. “The case everyone has been waiting for is the State's case with Texas and numerous others joining," he said. Biden beat Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania, a state Trump had won in 2016.

Dozens of state lawmakers, elected officials and party leaders in recent weeks have endorsed and advanced Trump’s false claims, and in some cases called for undemocratic actions to reverse results. None of the moves have had an impact on the election results — and even Republican governors have certified Biden’s win. In Texas, the state's Republican attorney general has filed a lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court demanding that other states' Electoral College votes be invalidated. Even in liberal Massachusetts, five GOP candidates who lost their races filed a federal lawsuit Monday trying to decertify the state’s election results, recycling claims about irregularities and voting machines. Meanwhile, Trump's attempts to personally persuade GOP lawmakers, governors and state election officials to intervene have failed.

DALLAS – The FBI recently opened a criminal investigation into claims that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton abused his office to benefit a wealthy donor. Paxton, a 57-year-old lawyer, was a Texas legislator before he became the state attorney general in 2015. Seven senior lawyers in Paxton's office reported him to the FBI in late September, accusing him of abusing his office, bribery and other crimes. In another request for a criminal investigation that reached Paxton's office, Paul claimed businessmen and another judge were conspiring to steal $200 million worth of his properties. But the latter is rare in Texas and the attorney general has a defender in his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton.

The overall death toll has reached about 253,000, by far the highest in the world. Total confirmed infections have eclipsed more than 11.7 million, after the biggest one-day gain on record Thursday — almost 188,000. And the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 hit another all-time high at more than 80,000. California ordered a 10 p.m.-to 5-a.m. curfew starting Saturday, covering 94% of the state’s 40 million residents. COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are at their highest level since late May, when the Northeast was emerging from the first wave of the crisis.

In September, top employees of Paxton’s office reported him to federal authorities for alleged crimes they say he committed in assisting Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. Paxton’s office did not respond to a request for comment but broadly denied claims made by his former top aides in an interview with Austin television station KXAN. The lawsuit paints a picture of the struggle between Texas’ top law enforcement official and the employees convinced he's been breaking the law. Last week, Paul said in a deposition that Paxton recommended a woman for her job with the developer’s company. They've also asked local prosecutors to fine Paxton $15,000 for each violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act.

Five Supreme Court justices who had twice preserved the Obama-era health care law remained on the bench and seemed unlikely votes to dismantle it. A court ruling invalidating the entire law would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people. It's their first time hearing a major case over the health law as justices, although Kavanaugh took part in the the first round of suits over it when he was a federal appeals court judge. Enrollment in the law's insurance markets stayed relatively stable at more than 11 million people, even after the effective date of the penalty’s elimination in 2019. The case could also be rendered irrelevant if the new Congress were to restore a modest penalty for not buying health insurance.

(AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska on Saturday reported hitting a daily record in new coronavirus cases. ———MILAN – Italy registered a record 39,811 daily confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday. — Nebraska reported a record 2,681 coronavirus cases and a record 748 people in the hospital. The world reached 400,000 daily confirmed cases on Oct. 15; 500,000 on Oct. 26, and 600,000 on Friday. The global death toll hit a daily record of 11,024 confirmed deaths on Wednesday.

Spokespersons for the attorney general did not respond to questions Thursday. During his Monday deposition, Paul explicitly denied employing the former Senate aide at his company, World Class, as a favor to Paxton. Under questioning during the deposition, Paul said he did not know how the woman he hired and the attorney general knew each other. During the deposition, Paul said the former Senate aide applied for a posted job and now works for him as a project manager. The attorney general told the group he had an affair but had since ended it and recommitted to his marriage, the person said.

The developer accuses 11 people of an intricate fraud that was allegedly set to include the judge and another court-appointed official facilitating a “rigged auction." The signed, 10-page “request to investigate" is one of two from Paul that were referred to Paxton’s office, setting off the remarkable revolt by the Republican’s staff. Paul’s complaint is largely based on things he says he heard second-hand. The second was sent to Cammack because he was already looking into Paul's allegations and it dealt with a federal judge, Moore told AP. Moore said she personally reviewed Paul’s claims only after the allegations by Paxton’s staff became public.

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2020 file photo, the White House is shown Monday afternoon, Oct. 5, 2020, in Washington. Both sides are informed by the experience of the 2000 election, which was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore. Thousands of volunteer lawyers are prepared to assist with Election Day operations and poll watching and other issues, Riemer said. A group called Lawyers for Trump, whose advisory board includes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, is recruiting retired lawyers and law students. But lawyers on both sides say they are preparing to be ready for much more than a fight on Twitter.