Controversy Ensues as Texas AG Files Lawsuit Against Travis County Voter Program
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has set his sights on Travis County in the latest chapter of his battle against voter registration initiatives. Paxton claims that the Travis County program, which was designed to identify potentially unregistered voters, will create confusion and potentially facilitate fraud.
In an unofficial copy of the lawsuit obtained by KVUE, Paxton alleges that county commissioners overstepped their authority by hiring a “partisan” third-party group to carry out the identification efforts. This move mirrors similar lawsuits filed against Bexar County and threats against Harris County for their voter registration plans.
“Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law by paying partisan actors to conduct unlawful identification efforts to track down people who are not registered to vote,” Paxton declared in a statement regarding the lawsuit. “Programs like this invite fraud and reduce public trust in our elections. We will stop them and any other county considering such programs.”
Travis County leaders have yet to respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Texas Democrats have raised concerns about Paxton’s office, calling for a Department of Justice investigation into possible civil rights violations. They accuse Paxton of conducting illegal “raids” on the homes of Latinos, a move they believe is fueled by divisive rhetoric.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Austin Congressman Lloyd Doggett has criticized Paxton’s actions, stating that the use of taxpayer dollars to target South Texas Latinos is outrageous and harmful. Doggett accuses Paxton of abusing his power and drawing inspiration from former president Donald Trump’s divisive tone.
This story is still developing, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.