Texas AG Ken Paxton got Cody Campbell donation before threatening Big 12

Key Points:

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton received a $274,300 political donation from Cody Campbell, chairman of the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, just one day before Paxton threatened legal action against the Big 12 Conference over potential sanctions against Texas Tech.
• The legal threat arose after Texas Tech played quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who violated NCAA gambling rules but was allowed to play following a Lubbock County judge's injunction, sparking controversy in college athletics.
• Paxton's attorneys claimed the Big 12 could face over $200 million in damages if sanctions were imposed, citing losses in football revenues, alumni contributions, and recruitment.
• The Big 12 responded by filing a federal lawsuit to enforce its bylaws, supported by attorneys general from Kansas, Utah, and Oklahoma, while Sorsby eventually withdrew from Texas Tech to enter the NFL supplemental draft.
• Campbell defended Texas Tech's actions, emphasizing the university's support for Sorsby during his gambling addiction therapy and asserting that the institution acted with integrity throughout the process.