Judge Awards $6.6M to Whistleblowers Fired After Reporting Texas AG Ken Paxton to FBI

Major whistleblowing drama out of Texas: A district court judge has awarded $6.6 million to four former aides who were fired after reporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to the FBI for alleged misconduct. The whistleblowers—Blake Brickman, David Maxwell, Mark Penley, and Ryan Vassar—claimed they were retaliated against for bringing serious allegations to federal authorities. The timing here is suspicious, as all four were shown the door within weeks of notifying Paxton’s office back in late 2020.

Judge Catherine Mauzy of Travis County ruled that the whistleblowers had successfully proven their claims of liability, damages, and attorney's fees. The judgment made it clear that these reports to the FBI were made "in good faith," and shockingly enough, Paxton’s office didn’t even bother disputing the claims or damages in court. That silence speaks volumes.

The accusations against Paxton aren’t your run-of-the-mill office drama either. The former aides alleged that the AG abused his position to accept bribes from Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who also happened to employ a woman with whom Paxton was rumored to be having an extramarital affair. If this were a Netflix series, it’d have people glued to their screens. Paxton, of course, denies any wrongdoing.

"It should shock all Texans that their chief law enforcement officer, Ken Paxton, admitted to violating the law," said attorneys Tom Nesbitt and TJ Turner, who represented two of the whistleblowers. It’s bold commentary, but not unwarranted.

Paxton, for his part, isn’t taking this ruling lying down, calling it "ridiculous" and announcing plans to appeal. This isn’t his first rodeo. Back in 2020, eight employees reported him to the FBI for bribery allegations, triggering a federal probe. Paxton agreed to settle the whistleblower lawsuit for $3.3 million, but that plan fell apart when the Texas House rejected his request and launched its own investigation.

In 2023, Paxton faced impeachment in the House but managed to walk away acquitted in the Senate. To add to the legal ping-pong, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a ruling requiring Paxton to testify in the lawsuit last November. Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department decided not to pursue its investigation during the Biden administration's final weeks.

Paxton’s camp might call the ruling "ridiculous," but it’s hard not to see this as a big win for the whistleblowers—and a significant moment for accountability within Texas politics.