{"id":2645203,"date":"2026-08-14T15:23:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T19:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talarico-touts-endorsement-of-man-who-accused-paxton-of-stealing-1000-pen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T15:30:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T19:30:44","slug":"talarico-touts-endorsement-of-man-who-accused-paxton-of-stealing-1000-pen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/talarico-touts-endorsement-of-man-who-accused-paxton-of-stealing-1000-pen\/","title":{"rendered":"Talarico touts endorsement of man who accused Paxton of stealing $1,000 pen"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/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%2Ftalarico-touts-endorsement-of-man-who-accused-paxton-of-stealing-1000-pen%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=2645203&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>Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico released a new ad targeting Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, accusing him of stealing a $1,000 Montblanc pen at the Collin County Courthouse in 2012. the campaign obtained security footage showing Paxton allegedly rummaging through items near the metal detectors and pocketing the costly pen, wich belonged to local attorney joe Joplin. Joplin, whose wife gifted him the pen, contacted the courthouse after it was found missing, leading to the footage and subsequent investigation. The ad features Joplin endorsing Talarico and suggests Paxton returned the pen after police were involved, implying dishonesty. This controversy adds to the heightened scrutiny in thier Texas Senate race, which has garnered national attention as Democrats hope to flip the state blue. The race remains close, wiht polling showing Paxton narrowly ahead and both candidates receiving high-profile endorsements-Obama for Talarico and Trump for Paxton. The competition is seen as pivotal in the broader political landscape.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"253\">Texas<\/a> Democratic Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-talarico\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"17710\">James Talarico<\/a> released a new ad on Friday featuring the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/endorsements\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1440\">endorsement<\/a> of an attorney who claimed Republican candidate Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4370\">Ken Paxton<\/a> stole his $1,000 pen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TeamTalaricoHQ\/status\/2088226747330236913?s=20\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TeamTalaricoHQ\/status\/2088226747330236913?s=20\">new video<\/a> is the latest attack on Paxton from Talarico as the Senate race in Texas heats up with the general election on the horizon. With a tagline of \u201cTalarico: He won\u2019t steal your pen,\u201d the ad brings to light an incident that allegedly occurred at the Collin County Courthouse in 2012.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4687902\/talarico-touts-endorsement-man-accused-paxton-stealing-pen\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Talarico touts endorsement of man who accused Paxton of stealing $1,000 pen<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4687660\/florida-19th-congressional-district-candidates-carpetbagger-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>The carpetbagger primary: Meet the cast of characters running for this Florida House seat<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4687721\/russell-fry-endorses-darline-graham-nordone-south-caronlina-gop-senate-runoff\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Darline Graham Nordone nabs Senate runoff endorsement from ex-primary rival Russell Fry<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico\u2019s team obtained security camera footage from the courthouse that allegedly shows Paxton rummaging through the items left near the metal detectors. Paxton allegedly found a Montblanc pen, which cost in the ballpark of $1,000, and pocketed it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pricey pen belonged to Joe Joplin, a local attorney who received the pen as a gift from his wife. Joplin contacted the courthouse about his forgotten pen, prompting staff to pull security footage showing Paxton allegedly at the scene of the crime. Talarico\u2019s campaign claims Paxton returned the pen \u201cafter police got involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe could have pressed charges, but he decided against it because Joe\u2019s a nice guy,\u201d the narrator in the ad said. \u201cHe\u2019d never take someone else\u2019s pen. But he also hasn\u2019t forgotten who took his,\u201d the narrator continued before cutting to a clip of Joplin endorsing Talarico.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cVote for James Talarico. He won\u2019t steal you pen,\u201d the ad said in closing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The video also briefly mentions the incident had unfolded at the same courthouse where Paxton was indicted on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and one count of failing to register as an investment adviser, charges that were later dropped after Paxton agreed to complete 100 hours of community service, take legal ethics classes, and pay restitution.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico and Paxton\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trump-dominates-in-2024-general-election-odds\/\" title=\"Donald Trump Dominates in 2024 ... Odds\">general election matchup<\/a> has become one of the most closely watched races in the country as Democrats see the opportunity to flip Texas blue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677629\/talarico-voting-registration-paxton-texas-senate\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677629\/talarico-voting-registration-paxton-texas-senate\/\">TALARICO\u2019S VOTING REGISTRATION DISCREPANCIES DRAW FRESH FIRE FROM PAXTON AFTER NEW REPORT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former President Barack Obama has handed Talarico an endorsement, while Paxton has the backing of President Donald Trump. August <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/emersoncollegepolling.com\/texas-2026-poll-paxton-and-talarico\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/emersoncollegepolling.com\/texas-2026-poll-paxton-and-talarico\/\">polling from Emerson College<\/a> paints a tight race, with Paxton leading Talarico by 1 percentage point in a 47-46 split. Earlier polling showed Talarico with the advantage, and the race is rated \u201cleans Republican\u201d by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/senate\/race\/488686\"><em>Cook Political Report<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to the Paxton campaign for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Talarico&#8217;s new ad claims Paxton stole a $1,000 pen in 2012<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2645204,"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\/2026\/07\/AP26195072638642.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5609,13348,84187,36160],"class_list":["post-2645203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-allegations","tag-endorsement","tag-paxton-scandal","tag-political-controversy"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26195072638642.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645203","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\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2645203"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2645207,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645203\/revisions\/2645207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2645204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2645203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2645203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2645203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}