Texas Attorney General's Office Under Scrutiny Over Hotel Room Payments

Two senior officials resigned after improper allocation of taxpayer-funded hotel rooms to donors and private citizens.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:51pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A photorealistic painting of a government office building in warm, golden light, with deep shadows and a sense of solitude, conceptually representing the serious tone of the investigation into the Attorney General's office.The quiet, somber mood of a government office building reflects the growing scrutiny over the Texas Attorney General's office.Frisco Today

The Texas Attorney General's Office is facing scrutiny after agency employees reallocated taxpayer-funded hotel rooms to donors and other private citizens, some of whom failed to cover the cost of the stay until the state comptroller began auditing the agency's finances earlier this year. Two senior officials involved in the incident resigned soon after it was brought to agency leadership's attention.

Why it matters

The investigation raises questions about potential misuse of public funds and favoritism within the Attorney General's office, especially as the current Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is embroiled in a contentious runoff for the GOP Senate nomination against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

The details

The agency paid more than $20,000 for a nonrefundable block of 10 hotel rooms at the Courtyard Marriott in Washington, D.C. for employees attending last year's inauguration of President Donald Trump and Supreme Court arguments over a new state law. When a winter storm prevented several of the travelers from getting to Washington, agency employees identified private citizens who wanted the rooms and agreed to pay out of pocket for them. The list of private citizens included major Paxton donors, a controversial Albanian businessman, and the chair of the Albanian Republican Party. State Sen. Angela Paxton, Ken Paxton's wife, also took one of the rooms at her own expense.

  • In June, officials from the state comptroller's office notified the attorney general's office they were opening a 'routine post-payment audit' to review payroll, purchasing and travel expenditures.
  • In October, two of Paxton's senior aides, chief financial officer Michele Price and chief of staff Lesley French, began emailing about the travel discrepancies.
  • Days after the March 3 primary election, the state comptroller's office reopened the audit.
  • Soon after, Lesley French resigned. A few days later, Michele Price resigned as well.

The players

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General who is in a contentious runoff for the GOP Senate nomination against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

Ralph Molina

The deputy first assistant attorney general who conducted an internal investigation into the hotel room payments.

Terry and Jennifer Lacore

Major donors to Ken Paxton who were allocated taxpayer-funded hotel rooms.

Bashkim Ulaj

A controversial Albanian businessman who was allocated a taxpayer-funded hotel room.

Fatmir Mediu

The chair of the Albanian Republican Party who was allocated a taxpayer-funded hotel room.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The intent was to relieve the OAG of its financial obligation for the unused rooms.”

— Ralph Molina, Deputy First Assistant Attorney General

What’s next

The state comptroller's office has reopened its audit of the Attorney General's office, which could lead to further investigations and potential consequences for the officials involved.

The takeaway

This incident highlights concerns about potential misuse of public funds and favoritism within the Texas Attorney General's office, which could have broader implications for the office's credibility and the ongoing political battles surrounding Attorney General Ken Paxton.