Aide Who Blew the Whistle on Paxton Backs Talarico in Splashy Ad Campaign

The Texas law enforcement official reported Paxton to the FBI in 2020 for misusing the attorney general’s office.

James Talarico

Talarico’s campaign has capitalized on Maxwell’s story and other legal trouble Paxton has faced to paint him as an untrustworthy candidate. (Brenda Bazán/AP)

A former top aide to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who reported his former boss to the FBI is throwing his support behind state Rep. James Talarico’s Senate campaign.

“Ken Paxton ended my five decade career because I blew the whistle on his corruption,” David Maxwell said in the minute-long campaign ad released Tuesday.

David Maxwell served in Texas law enforcement for nearly 50 years, and he spent close to a decade working as the director of law enforcement for the attorney general’s office.