A look at campaign finance reports of pro, anti-Paxton forces going into his trial

The impeachment trial of Ken Paxton may be a key issue for Republican primary voters next March. Paxton supporters have promised revenge. House Leadership says they will support their incumbents, many of whom voted to impeach Paxton.

NBC 5 pulled the most recent campaign finance reports of some of the major players.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform is sitting on $33 million dollars according to their recent reports. They supported one of Paxton's opponents in the Republican primary last year.

"Texans deserve a trial and outcome based on the factual presentation and consideration of evidence. TLR expects the Senate will conduct a fair, open and thorough trial and that each Senator will make her or his decision solely on the evidence presented," wrote Lucy Nashed from Texans for Lawsuit Reform before the trial.

The two accounts for Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan, R - Beaumont, have more than $5 million combined.

"I’m proud of the work product that the board of managers put forth. And we have a good team. And it was the right thing to do," Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan, R - Beaumont, told KXAN News, 

Another group who usually supports House Republican members, the Associated Republicans of Texas, has more than $1 million.

On the other side, the pro-Paxton group Defend Texas Liberty has almost half a million dollars after they spent more than $3 million ahead of the trial. The group raised eyebrows when it donated $1 million to the presiding judge in the trial Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and offered him a $2 million loan.

Luke Macias, director of Defend Texas Liberty PAC, told NBC 5 the donation was to support Patrick’s work this past legislative session.

“The Senate delivered some very strong wins, and they deserve credit for the wins that they delivered,” Macias said.

The Houston-based Stand with Paxton PAC only has $500 raised on their latest campaign accounts. The group is led by controversial Houston-area doctor Steven Hotze.

It is unclear how much money the pro-Paxton group San Jacinto 2023 has spent running television ads and campaign mailers pressuring senators to acquit Paxton because of the country's opaque campaign finance laws. The Texas Tribune reported the group has spent at least $31,000.

Then the campaign accounts for Texas State Senator Angela Paxton, R - McKinney, and the suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton have about $4 million combined.

Two top statewide officials have not publicly taken a side

Two of the largest campaign bank accounts are held by the state's two top leaders. The presiding judge in the Paxton trial, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, R-Texas, has more than $22 million. Governor Greg Abbott, R- Texas, has more than $23 million. During the first week of the trial, the Paxton defense team asked witnesses if the Governor's office was involved in their actions against the attorney general.

Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze said Paxton's aides asked to meet with “senior staff” at the governor's office and that the deputies were told to talk to Paxton. Eze said in an email that Abbott's office was not part of any coordinated effort against Paxton and that the deputies did not say what they wanted to discuss.

"Absolutely not," Eze said, first reported by the Dallas Morning News.