Ken Paxton missing pen case
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Ken Paxton's decade-old $1,000 Montblanc pen incident resurfaces in James Talarico's new Senate campaign ad.
The ad revives ethics questions in a tight Texas Senate race, testing voter memory.
Background
In 2013, attorney Joe Joplin left a $1,000 Montblanc pen at a Collin County Courthouse security tray. Security footage showed Paxton, then a state senator, picking it up and walking away; he later returned it after being contacted by the sheriff's office, and his spokesperson called it a mistake. The incident became a recurring issue in Paxton's political career, and now Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has revived it in a campaign ad, featuring Joplin's endorsement.
How it unfolded
- 2013Attorney Joe Joplin left a $1,000 Montblanc pen at a courthouse security tray; security footage showed Paxton picking it up and walking away.
- 2014The story surfaced; Paxton's spokesperson called it a simple mistake, saying the pen was returned when the error was realized.
- Aug 17, 2026James Talarico released a campaign ad revisiting the pen incident, featuring Joplin's endorsement.
- Aug 20, 2026The New York Times covered the resurfaced incident, noting a mobile billboard truck outside a Paxton fundraiser highlighted the stolen pen among other scandals.
Who’s saying what
- Talarico Campaign
- The ad argues Paxton's pen theft exemplifies his unfitness for office, alongside other ethical issues.
- Paxton Campaign
- In 2014, a spokesperson called the incident a simple mistake, saying the pen was returned when the error was realized.
- Analysts
- Political strategist Mike Fahey said voters may forget complicated ethics investigations but will remember the $1,000 pen.
Still unverified
It is not clear if Paxton owned a Montblanc pen at the time; the incident is based on security footage and Paxton's admission of a mistake, but no charges were filed.