James Talarico seeks release of deposition material tied to Ken Paxton in Texas U.S. Senate race

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas, said he is seeking to unearth and highlight deposition testimony involving Republican incumbent Ken Paxton. Talarico’s stated goal, according to a report published Wednesday, is to keep the public focus on Paxton’s history of scandals as the Texas Senate contest continues.

The report says Talarico wants access to deposition information tied to Paxton and that he intends to use that material to inform voters about what the depositions could show. It frames the effort as a continuation of Talarico’s broader strategy to emphasize Paxton’s past controversies rather than new policy disputes.

Paxton, a Texas attorney general, has been at the center of multiple political and legal controversies over the years, and depositions often function as a formal discovery tool in litigation, allowing attorneys to question witnesses under oath. In this case, the report characterizes Talarico’s effort as aimed at making that record more widely known.

Talarico’s campaign described the deposition effort as a way to sustain scrutiny of Paxton’s past conduct. The report does not, in the available description, identify a specific court, case number, or the dates of any particular depositions that Talarico is trying to surface, and it also does not specify whether the campaign is seeking public release, new hearings, or other litigation access mechanisms.

The practical effect of Talarico’s stated approach would be to expand the amount of documentary and sworn testimony available to voters, potentially shaping how supporters and opponents understand Paxton’s legal and political history. Deposition testimony can include detailed accounts of events and interactions that are not fully captured in news coverage, but whether such testimony becomes public can depend on court orders, confidentiality agreements, and how filings are handled.

For Paxton and his legal team, efforts to obtain and publicize deposition material can raise questions about confidentiality and the proper handling of discovery materials, especially when depositions are tied to ongoing matters or documents that remain subject to protective orders. The report’s description does not indicate whether any court has ruled on Talarico’s request to unearth specific depositions.

As the Texas U.S. Senate race proceeds, the next step for Talarico’s effort, based on the reporting, would be continued work to locate the deposition records and determine the most effective way to make them available to the public. Any additional details would depend on what deposition material can be found and what legal process, if any, is needed to publish or otherwise disclose it.