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Ken Paxton faces scrutiny over Dubai trip with federal fugitives
Texas Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton is facing renewed scrutiny following reports that he celebrated New Year’s Eve 2025 in Dubai with two Americans facing federal fraud charges. Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, who were indicted for allegedly misappropriating $15 million from a Chicago hospital, were among the guests at the luxury celebration. Campaign finance records reveal that Ahmed has donated a total of $190,000 to Paxton’s campaign, including a $25,000 contribution made shortly after his indictment.
As the election approaches, polling data shows a highly competitive race between Paxton and Democratic challenger James Talarico. While some polls, such as ReconMR, show Talarico holding a four-point lead, a Quantus Insights survey indicates the candidates are essentially tied, with Paxton leading by 0.5 percentage points.
Additional controversies surrounding Paxton include allegations of receiving campaign contributions from organizations with interests in legal matters handled by his office, and reports suggesting he and Governor Greg Abbott used state agencies to target a local Islamic center through a manufactured securities fraud investigation.
Entities
Anosh Ahmed · East Plano Islamic Center · Greg Abbott · James Talarico · Ken Paxton · Sameer Suhail · Servergy Inc. · Texas · Texas State Securities Board
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A memorandum suggests Texas officials used a securities fraud investigation to target the East Plano Islamic Center. newrepublic.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Ken Paxton celebrated New Year's Eve 2025 in Dubai with Tracy Duhon and two Americans facing federal fraud charges. n1info.ba · www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com · boingboing.net · www.index.hr · www.mediaite.com
- [DISPUTED] A ReconMR poll indicates James Talarico leads Ken Paxton 48% to 44% in the Texas Senate race. www.gilmermirror.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Anosh Ahmed donated $190,000 to Ken Paxton's campaign, including $25,000 shortly after his indictment. n1info.ba · boingboing.net · www.index.hr · www.mediaite.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Anosh Ahmed is also accused in a separate case involving at least $195 million in fraudulent COVID-19 testing payments. n1info.ba · boingboing.net · www.index.hr · www.mediaite.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail were indicted for allegedly misappropriating $15 million from a Chicago hospital. n1info.ba · boingboing.net · www.index.hr · www.mediaite.com
- [DISPUTED] A Quantus Insights poll shows Ken Paxton leading James Talarico by 0.5 percentage points in the Texas Senate race. townhall.com · wltreport.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ken Paxton received campaign contributions from organizations with interests in legal matters handled by his office. politicalwire.com