On Monday, June 9, 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi against what he described as unfounded bar complaints filed by left-wing activists with the State Bar of Florida.
In a letter sent to the Florida Bar, Paxton urged the organization to dismiss the complaints, which he characterized as politically driven attempts to undermine Bondi’s authority.
The complaints target Bondi’s actions as U.S. Attorney General, alleging misconduct in her official duties. Paxton’s letter argues that these grievances lack merit and represent an effort to intimidate a federal official in the performance of her role. He emphasized that the complaints are an inappropriate use of professional ethics rules to challenge policy decisions made by the Trump Administration, which he noted was supported by a significant voter mandate.
Paxton further stated that allowing such complaints to proceed would set a dangerous precedent, encroaching on the constitutional responsibilities of the federal executive branch. He described the actions of the complainants as an attempt to use legal mechanisms to target public officials based on political disagreements rather than substantive ethical violations.
The Texas Attorney General drew parallels to his own experience, referencing grievances filed against him with the State Bar of Texas following his efforts to address concerns about the 2020 presidential election. Those complaints, which Paxton also labeled as politically motivated, were ultimately dismissed. The Supreme Court of Texas ruled in his favor, affirming that the State Bar could not be used to penalize official actions based on political opposition.
Paxton’s letter to the Florida Bar calls for a swift rejection of the complaints against Bondi, urging the organization to uphold the rule of law. He argued that dismissing the grievances would prevent the misuse of bar disciplinary processes and protect the ability of federal officials to carry out their duties without fear of retaliatory legal challenges.
