{"id":2650373,"date":"2026-08-27T08:46:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T12:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-talarico-asks-court-to-unseal-ken-paxton-depositions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T08:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T12:49:12","slug":"james-talarico-asks-court-to-unseal-ken-paxton-depositions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-talarico-asks-court-to-unseal-ken-paxton-depositions\/","title":{"rendered":"James Talarico asks court to unseal Ken Paxton depositions"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fjames-talarico-asks-court-to-unseal-ken-paxton-depositions%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=2650373&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 has filed a request in a Texas court to unseal two depositions given by his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton. Talarico contends that the depositions, from 2019 and 2022, raise substantial ethical questions about Paxton\u2019s conduct related to a civil dispute involving Unity Resources, an energy company Paxton previously represented. the dispute traces back to allegations of fraud and the improper handling of certain records, with reporting suggesting Paxton may have disclosed privileged attorney-client details. although Paxton was not a defendant in the lawsuit, the depositions have drawn scrutiny amid Paxton\u2019s legal controversies, including his 2015 securities fraud indictment, impeachment in 2023, and ongoing legal and ethical issues. Talarico\u2019s campaign argues that the depositions&#8217; content is relevant to Paxton\u2019s fitness for office and should be made accessible to the public. Recent polling shows Talarico leading Paxton by a narrow margin in the upcoming election.  <\/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> asked a Texas court on Wednesday to unseal two depositions given by his Republican opponent, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4370\">Ken Paxton<\/a>, arguing the testimony could raise questions about the attorney general\u2019s conduct.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico\u2019s campaign filed a petition in Collin County seeking the release of depositions Paxton gave in 2019 and 2022 in connection with a civil dispute involving Unity Resources, an energy company for which Paxton previously served as an attorney and board member, and in which he invested. The Democrat\u2019s campaign claims in the petition that Paxton\u2019s depositions raise \u201csubstantial ethical questions,\u201d according to the complaint.<\/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\/4702370\/james-talarico-asks-court-unseal-ken-paxton-depositions-ethical-questions\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>James Talarico asks court to unseal Ken Paxton depositions alleging they raise \u2018ethical questions\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4700365\/fourteen-vulnerable-house-democrats-took-30k-jimmy-gomez-pac-money\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fourteen vulnerable House Democrats took over $30,000 from scandal-ridden colleague. They won\u2019t say if they\u2019ll return it<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/infrastructure\/4700301\/republican-candidates-data-center-policy-voter-backlash\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>GOP gives candidates room to break on data centers as voter backlash grows<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dispute dates to 2016, when North Texas businessman Charles Loper III, who oversees Paxton\u2019s blind trust, accused Unity Resources and investors Byron Cook and Joel Hochberg of defrauding him. Cook and Hochberg countered that Loper and Paxton were attempting to smear their reputations because the two men were expected to serve as witnesses in a separate securities fraud case against Paxton.<\/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\">Paxton was not a defendant in the Unity lawsuit, which was settled in 2023, but he sat for depositions in 2019 and 2022. Paxton reportedly acknowledged during his 2019 testimony that he provided Unity records to attorney Mitch Little, who represented Loper in the lawsuit, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/what-we-learned-from-a-secret-deposition-of-ken-paxton-7e3ebd4d\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/what-we-learned-from-a-secret-deposition-of-ken-paxton-7e3ebd4d\">according to reporting <\/a>from the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>. The report raised questions about whether Paxton had disclosed information protected by attorney-client privilege.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the complaint, Talarico argues that although he has not seen the depositions, reporting on them raises questions about Paxton\u2019s fitness for office, which they claim is enough to make them accessible to the public under Texas law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to Paxton and Talarico for comment.<\/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 request comes as Talarico increasingly focuses his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">general election<\/a> campaign on Paxton\u2019s lengthy history of legal controversies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paxton was indicted on state securities fraud charges in 2015 over allegations that he encouraged investors to put money into a technology company without disclosing that he would be compensated. The case ended in 2024 under an agreement requiring Paxton to pay restitution and complete legal ethics courses without admitting guilt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/technology\/4697747\/greg-abbott-texas-data-center-developers\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/technology\/4697747\/greg-abbott-texas-data-center-developers\/\">GREG ABBOTT SAYS DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS \u2018DUG THEIR OWN GRAVE\u2019<\/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\">Paxton was also impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House in 2023 on allegations that included bribery and abuse of office. The state Senate later acquitted him on articles considered at trial.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/polls\/texas-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/polls\/texas-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html\">Recent polling<\/a> suggests Talarico\u2019s strategy is working, as he leads Paxton by 3 points, a narrower margin than the Democrat\u2019s 4-point lead in July.<\/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 seeks to unseal Paxton depositions amid ethical concerns<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2650374,"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\/08\/ken-paxton-baby-gabriel.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6924,59577,4431,5894,3694],"class_list":["post-2650373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-depositions","tag-james-talarico","tag-legal","tag-politics","tag-texas"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ken-paxton-baby-gabriel.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650373","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=2650373"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2650376,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2650373\/revisions\/2650376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2650374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2650373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2650373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2650373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}