Ken Paxton’s Own Top Cop Just Endorsed the Other Guy

Here’s a simple test for any politician: would the people who worked closest to you vote for you? Ken Paxton keeps failing it. Dan Cogdell, the lawyer who defended Paxton at his impeachment trial, already endorsed James Talarico. HIS LAWYER! Now David Maxwell, who was inducted into the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame – and the man who ran law enforcement in Paxton’s own office, is doing the same. Maxwell is a self-described lifelong Republican who had never publicly endorsed a candidate before, and a Judge ordered the state of Texas to pay him and several others $6.6 MILLION in a wrongful termination suit against Paxton. Paxton did not appeal.

Who David Maxwell Is

Maxwell spent 38 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety, 24 of them as a Texas Ranger. He then joined the Attorney General’s office, where he rose to director of law enforcement over roughly 350 employees. Greg Abbott hired him when Abbott was attorney general, and Paxton inherited him in 2015. That’s close to 50 years of catching crooks for the State of Texas.

Then he caught one he wasn’t supposed to.

What Happened

In 2020, Maxwell was one of eight senior aides who reported Paxton to law enforcement. They alleged their boss was using the AG’s office to help Nate Paul, an Austin real estate developer and campaign donor. Maxwell later testified that he’d warned Paxton he “was going to get himself indicted.” Paxton fired him.

Here’s how the rest played out:

• The settlement. The fired aides sued under the Texas Whistleblower Act. In 2023, Paxton agreed to settle for $3.3 million and an apology, then asked the Legislature to pay it with your money.
• The impeachment. The Texas House said no, opened its own investigation, and impeached him 121 to 23 on 20 articles. Sixty of those yes votes were Republicans. The Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him in September 2023.
• The judgment. In April 2025, a Travis County judge ruled Paxton’s office violated the Whistleblower Act. She awarded $6.6 million to four of the whistleblowers, Maxwell included. Paxton’s office didn’t dispute a single fact in the case.
• The appeal. Paxton had already fought all the way to the Texas Supreme Court to avoid being deposed. In July 2025 he dropped his appeal, and Texas taxpayers picked up the tab.
• The donor. Nate Paul, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to lying to a financial institution and walked away with supervised release and a $1 million fine.

Paxton denies all of it. A federal investigation into him ended in late 2024 with no charges, and his office called the whistleblowers “rogue employees.” A Texas Ranger with five decades on the job. Rogue. Sure.

Why It Matters Now

Paxton beat John Cornyn in the May runoff. He faces Talarico on November 3 in a race polling neck and neck, and I’ve already compared who’s paying for each of them. This is the same guy who, as an earlier Talarico ad reminded everyone, walked off with a $1,000 Montblanc pen from a courthouse security tray. At least he’s consistent.

Watch the interview. Then ask yourself one question: if a Texas Ranger, in the Hall of Fame, who worked for Ken Paxton for nearly six years won’t vouch for him, AND NEITHER WILL HIS OWN LAWYER – why the hell would you?