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AUSTIN (AP) — A lawyer who represented Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for nearly a decade over accusations of corruption and securities fraud is supporting Democrat James Talarico — and not his former client — in one of the biggest U.S. Senate races.

Talarico on Monday drew attention to his campaign winning the endorsement of Houston attorney Dan Cogdell, who was part of Paxton’s defense team during the Republican’s historic impeachment trial in 2023 that ended in acquittal.

The legal troubles that shadowed Paxton in public office in Texas are a central attack line of Talarico’s campaign, though in his endorsement, Cogdell didn’t cite concerns about his client’s past.

Cogdell said he didn’t dislike Paxton as a person and felt that Texas lawmakers were right to eventually acquit the attorney general. But as a politician, Cogdell said, Paxton is too focused on appeasing President Donald Trump.

“I worked my ass off for the man for nine years,” Cogdell said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But that’s a different inquiry, my obligation to Ken ended at the courthouse steps and my obligation as a citizen is to do what I think is the right thing.”

Cogdell said Texas needs a lot of work, pointing to education and health care, “and to simply bootlick or rubber stamp Trump, that’s not what we need in D.C. right now.” He also recently spoke to Talarico at length on Cogdell’s podcast.

Asked for comment, an aide to Paxton’s campaign said Cogdell is a Democrat and called the endorsement unsurprising.

The lead defense attorney in Paxton’s impeachment trial, Tony Buzbee, reiterated that on X. Buzbee added that he was supporting Paxton in the race.

Cogdell said he’s a registered Democrat, but considers himself a moderate, and has voted and donated more to Republicans than Democrats.

Talarico has given Democrats hope of flipping the statewide seat in Texas blue as the party scrambles to retake control of the U.S. Senate in November.

Paxton’s insurgent campaign beat Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary runoff last month, helped by a Trump endorsement in the final days of the race.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A pilot and co-pilot from the United States have died in a fiery plane crash as they attempted an emergency landing in the Dominican Republic, authorities said.

The incident occurred Sunday near the southern coastal town of La Romana, according to a statement by the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation, which identified the pilot and co-pilot as U.S. citizens. It wasn’t immediately known what caused the crash. No passengers were aboard.

MLB All-Star former catcher Yadier Molina said on social media that the plane was bound for Texas to pick him up, along with family and friends.

“My condolences to the pilots and their family!” he wrote. Molina and his group were headed to Puerto Rico.

Officials said the plane had departed from Puerto Rico and landed in the Dominican Republic to refuel before heading to Texas.

The pilot and co-pilot reported an emergency shortly after taking off from the Dominican Republic, authorities said.

KERVILLE (AP) — Two more cases of the New World screwworm have been confirmed in Texas, demonstrating the difficulty of stopping the spread of a pest that could potentially devastate the nation’s cattle industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.

The screwworm is actually a fly, which produces a larvae that eats live flesh instead of dead material. Females lay their eggs in open wounds of any warm-blooded animal such as cattle, but wildlife, pets and occasionally even humans can be infested.

The USDA said the new cases were found in a calf and a dog, hundreds of miles apart in La Salle and Andrews counties. That brings the total number of confirmed cases to four. The screwworm was first discovered in a 3-week-old calf last week, and a second case was found only miles away in a young calf.

“While we address these instances that require immediate attention, and continue to sample suspected cases, we are simultaneously working to eradicate the pest entirely,” Dudley Hoskins, the USDA’s marketing and regulatory undersecretary, said in a statement.

Before it was eliminated in the U.S. in the 1960s, the fly was an annual warm-weather scourge of cattle ranchers.

The USDA and the U.S. cattle industry have been racing to prevent an infestation since the pest was detected in Mexico late in 2024 after decades of being contained at the southern end of Panama.

The government fights the fly by breeding sterile male flies, which then mate with wild females that only mate once in their monthslong life. By mating with sterile flies, the females don’t produce more flies and outbreaks can eventually be halted.

The USDA has announced plans to increase sterile fly production in plants outside the U.S. while it builds a fly factory in Texas.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins will be briefed on the infestation Monday afternoon at the U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerville, Texas.

BROADDUS, Texas (KETK) – Broaddus ISD has announced that one of their former teachers has been referred to law enforcement over allegations that they had an inappropriate relationship with a student.

According to the district, administrators received information on Thursday that alleged a teacher was having an inappropriate relationship with a student involving “grooming behavior” and possible physical contact.

Broaddus ISD immediately notified the proper law enforcement authorities so they could investigate the allegations. The teacher is no longer employed by Broaddus ISD.

The district said there was no indication that there was any threat to any students.

“Broaddus ISD remains committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all appropriate authorities throughout the investigative process,” Broaddus ISD said. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. We appreciate your understanding and support as this matter proceeds. Due to the ongoing investigation and privacy laws, the district will not be providing additional details at this time.”

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) – One person was injured in a shooting that happened near Carpenter Elementary School in Nacogdoches on Sunday.

According to Nacogdoches Police Department, officers responded to 1005 Leroy Street near Carpenter Elementary School at around 12:52 a.m. because of reported gunshots near there.

Officers arrived at the scene and were told that a person was shot and then taken to a local hospital for treatment. The officers went over to the hospital and were told that an unknown person had shot the victim with a firearm.

One person the officers talked to during their investigation was arrested after they were found to be in possession of a controlled substance. Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Nacogdoches PD at 936-559-2607.

APPLEBY, Texas (KETK) – Nacogdoches County officials said one man has died after his ATV ran into a fallen tree on Saturday near Lake Naconiche.

According to Nacogdoches County Precinct 3 Constable Roger Dudley, a man was driving his ATV on County Road 134, north of Appleby and to the south of Lake Naconiche, just before 11 p.m. on Saturday when the ATV struck a tree that fell across the county road.

Hitting the tree caused the ATV to flip into the air, ejecting the driver before the ATV landed upside down, according to Dudley. The Central Heights/Appleby Fire Department, the Nacogdoches Fire Department and the Nacogdoches Ambulance Service responded to the crash scene and attempted life saving measures but the victim’s injuries were too serious.

Dudley said the victim’s wife informed his office that her husband did not survive his injuries from the crash. Dudley asked the public for many prayers for her family following this loss.