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Well, folks, it seems that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has once again grabbed headlines, proving that intrigue often sounds more like a soap opera than actual news. Apparently, when you’re the top legal mind in Texas, juggling multiple properties as primary residences is just another Tuesday.
The latest scandal involves property law—something you’d assume Paxton might have a handle on, considering his reputation precedes him like a bad smell. Recent reports from the Associated Press reveal that Ken and his wife, Angela Paxton (who’s recently decided she’s had enough and filed for divorce “on biblical grounds”—cue the dramatic music), are claiming three different properties as their primary residence. Who needs one home when you can have a three-for-one special?
Among these gems is a $1.5 million estate in McKinney, because why settle for just one mansion when you can have two more lurking around Austin? By declaring all three as their primary dwelling, the Paxtons reportedly snagged some sweet low interest rates, saving them a tidy sum over the years. It’s almost as if they made a little side hustle out of mortgage fraud—federal and state crime, anyone?
As noted by the New York Times, proving mortgage fraud is as tough as getting a cat to take a bath, often leading to off-court settlements that leave everyone scratching their heads. Paxton knows these waters well; in fact, he once “forgot” to disclose a rental property in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, which might explain why he thinks the law is more of a suggestion.
Remember that unit he bought for $1.6 million in 2022? The Copper Canyon Lodge? Yeah, that’s also a rental property, conveniently hidden behind a blind trust, just for fun. According to KUT, this “lack of transparency” theme runs deep in the Paxton household, with properties in Hawaii, Florida, and Utah also misfiled. Maybe they’re just really into real estate in sunny places?
After all this hullabaloo surfaced two years ago, Ken gallantly pledged to work with the Texas Ethics Commission to get his transparency act together. Spoiler alert: records are confidential, so it’s a bit like asking if the fox has been watching the henhouse. Meanwhile, as renters flock to his properties, the Paxtons continue to enjoy the financial fruits of a potential tax-free homestead exemption on two of their properties. It’s like hitting the jackpot without even playing the lottery!
To sum it all up: Ken Paxton may very well be luxuriating in the very scams his office would normally investigate, and who could have guessed that he’d come out unscathed? If past scandals are any indicator, don’t place any bets on him losing his grip over John Cornyn in the Republican Senatorial primary. Scandal immunity is clearly his superpower!
