{"id":2422549,"date":"2025-04-11T12:46:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T16:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elon-musk-lawyer-launches-campaign-to-succeed-texas-ag-ken-paxton-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-04-11T12:47:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T16:47:00","slug":"elon-musk-lawyer-launches-campaign-to-succeed-texas-ag-ken-paxton-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elon-musk-lawyer-launches-campaign-to-succeed-texas-ag-ken-paxton-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Elon Musk lawyer launches campaign to succeed Texas AG Ken Paxton &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Felon-musk-lawyer-launches-campaign-to-succeed-texas-ag-ken-paxton-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2422549&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>John Bash, a former U.S. Attorney and legal counsel to Elon Musk, has announced his candidacy for Texas Attorney General, aiming to succeed Ken Paxton, who is pursuing a Senate seat. In his campaign statement, Bash emphasized the need for strong leadership to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-push-to-defund-police-as-biden-gives-nearly-140m-to-law-enforcement\/\" title=\"Democrats push to defund police as Biden gives nearly 0M to law enforcement\">ensure community safety<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-did-the-us-military-place-amy-coney-barrett-under-house-arrest\/\" title=\"FACT CHECK: Did The US Military Place Amy Coney Barrett Under House Arrest?\">protect constitutional rights<\/a>, and maintain texas&#8217;s status as a leader in innovation and growth. Bash, who has close ties to former President Donald Trump, previously held significant positions in the Texas legal system and has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.His declaration marks the first campaign for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-gop-house-candidate-jarome-bell-calls-1-8-trillion-spending-bill-a-communist-christmas-list\/\" title=\"Exclusive -- GOP House Candidate Jarome Bell Calls .8 Trillion Spending Bill a \u2019Communist Christmas List\u2019\">attorney general position<\/a> following Paxton&#8217;s decision to leave his role.Bash is currently involved in a defamation lawsuit defending Musk.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Elon Musk lawyer launches campaign to succeed Texas AG Ken Paxton<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2087288\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former U.S. Attorney John Bash, who serves as legal counsel to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Elon Musk<\/a>, announced a GOP bid to replace Texas Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Ken Paxton<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m running for Texas Attorney General because our great State needs the toughest, most battle-tested attorney to lead the fight to keep our communities safe, defend our constitutional rights, and make sure Texas remains a leader in innovation and growth,&rdquo; Bash <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnBashTX\/status\/1910084039366615296\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">wrote<\/a> in a statement to X.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3377653\/democrats-call-sec-investigation-trump-insider-stock-trading-tariffs\/\">Democrats call for SEC investigation into Trump tariff pause that set stock market soaring<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3377405\/illinois-democrats-durbin-2026-elections\/\">Illinois Democrats wait in the wings for Durbin 2026 announcement<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3370661\/virginia-governor-race-cause-optimism-concern-both-parties\/\">Virginia governor&rsquo;s race cause for optimism and concern in both parties<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The news makes Bash the first candidate to launch a campaign for Texas attorney general. It comes after Paxton <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3374582\/ken-paxton-launches-campaign-senate-unseat-john-cornyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">revealed Tuesday<\/a> he would mount a primary challenge to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), leaving his attorney general position vacant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I&rsquo;m running for Texas Attorney General because our great State needs the toughest, most battle-tested attorney to lead the fight to keep our communities safe, defend our constitutional rights, and make sure Texas remains a leader in innovation and growth. Let&rsquo;s get to work.&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; John Bash (@JohnBashTX) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnBashTX\/status\/1910084039366615296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Like Paxton, Bash has strong ties to President Donald Trump, which could give him a boost in the race to replace the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">outgoing attorney general<\/a>. Bash previously served as the Trump administration&rsquo;s top federal prosecutor in Texas during the president&rsquo;s first term in office&nbsp;and as special assistant and <a href=\"https:\/\/trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov\/presidential-actions\/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-office-white-house-counsel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">associate counsel<\/a> to Trump.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump talks Texas to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, center, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for a visit to an Apple manufacturing plant, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, in Austin. (AP Photo\/ Evan Vucci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3374582\/ken-paxton-launches-campaign-senate-unseat-john-cornyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">KEN PAXTON LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR SENATE TO UNSEAT JOHN CORNYN IN TEXAS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bash graduated from Harvard and clerked for Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Brett Kavanaugh, saying he &ldquo;has briefed and argued high-stakes cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and courts across the country.&rdquo; From 2012 to 2017, Bash served as the assistant to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-announces-new-legal-team-for-impeachment-defense-after-previous-team-collapsed\/\" title=\"... Announces New Legal Team For Impeachment Defense After Previous Team Collapsed\">solicitor general<\/a> at the Justice Department. He also worked as a senior counsel to Paxton and deputy policy director for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elpasotimes.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2025\/04\/11\/el-paso-john-bash-former-us-attorney-running-for-texas-attorney-general-donald-trump-elon-musk\/83028999007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><em>USA Today<\/em><\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Bash is currently defending Musk, a senior advisor to Trump, in a Texas <a href=\"https:\/\/search.txcourts.gov\/Case.aspx?cn=03-24-00392-CV&amp;coa=coa03\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">defamation lawsuit<\/a> against a former college student who accused the tech mogul of spreading lies about him on X.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2087288\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2087288\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elon Musk&#8217;s lawyer, John Bash, announces run for Texas AG<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2422550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Texas.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32192,38244,53274,53273],"class_list":["post-2422549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-elon-musk","tag-ken-paxton","tag-lawyer-campaign","tag-texas-ag"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Texas.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2422549"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2422553,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2422549\/revisions\/2422553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2422550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2422549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2422549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2422549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}