Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s former law enforcement director is endorsing his opponent in the race for U.S. Senate, Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, the latest of Paxton’s onetime allies to turn against the Republican nominee.

In a new Talarico ad, a narrator says that David Maxwell, a former Texas ranger, “knows a bad guy when he sees one.”

Along with a handful of his colleagues, Maxwell reported Paxton to the FBI in 2020, believing Paxton was giving favors to financially benefit one of his wealthy donors. Paxton fired Maxwell that November, and shortly after, Maxwell and his colleagues sued Paxton, alleging he had violated the state’s whistleblower law.

“Ken Paxton ended my five-decade career in public service because I blew the whistle on his corruption,” Maxwell said in a statement issued Tuesday through Talarico’s campaign. “Today, I’m endorsing James Talarico because Texans deserve a senator who serves the people — not a crook who serves himself.”

Paxton’s campaign did not respond to MS NOW’s request for comment about the endorsement.

In February 2023, Paxton apologized to the ousted staffers and offered to settle for $3.3 million of taxpayer money, drawing suspicion from the Texas House, which launched an investigation.

In May that year, Paxton was impeached by his own party over the office misconduct allegations.

“I told him he was going to get himself indicted,” Maxwell testified at the impeachment trial. Paxton was acquitted, but last year, a judge eventually awarded $6.6 million of taxpayer money to the whistleblowers Paxton fired, including Maxwell.

Dan Cogdell, Paxton’s former impeachment attorney, also said that he believes Talarico is “the better candidate” in the race in June.

“I don’t wish Ken any ill will. I don’t harbor any resentment for the man. I just think that Talarico is the better candidate,” Cogdell told MS NOW at the time. “I think he is focused on the issues that Texans care about, and I think he’ll do a good job.”

Before his impeachment, Paxton was indicted in 2015 on charges of securities fraud. His legal team reached a deal for him to take ethics classes, pay almost $270,000 in restitution and complete community service. He was also was investigated by the state over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary runoff in May.

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