Texas law generally limits the attorney general to issuing legal opinion letters only when requested by certain public officials. But on Monday, Attorney General Ken Paxton broke from that norm by issuing an unsolicited opinion on the legality of race-related state laws — and launched a political attack on his 2026 opponent, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).
Paxton’s 74-page opinion purports to declare over 100 state laws and policies relating to race-based initiatives as unconstitutional, and adds that private companies that implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs risk legal liability under state and federal law.
