The indictment came months after a legal fight over Texas’ voter security law Senate Bill 1 and a September 2024 ruling from U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.
He found that a key part of the Texas 2021 omnibus voter legislation is confusing, vague, overly broad, violates freedom of speech along with the 14th Amendment and there is no actual problem of illegal “vote harvesting.”
Republican lawmakers have argued the provision is meant to prevent voter fraud. Under the ruling, the Texas Attorney General’s office could not conduct investigations based on the provision.
Paxton appealed the ruling, which allowed him to continue the Frio County case.
The AG’s office cited it when it conducted a series of raids on the homes of Latino voting rights activists and a Democratic candidate for the Texas House.