The Texas attorney general's office has sued Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth and Irene Nuñez, the clerk's office director of communications. The lawsuit says the two ran voter awareness ads on Facebook and Instagram that allegedly targeted certain racial and ethnic groups, including African-American, Asian, and South American or Latino groups, while excluding other demographics.
The county clerk's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A statement from the attorney general's office said Ken Paxton has recused himself from the investigation. Paxton is the Republican nominee in the Texas Senate race against Democrat James Talarico, and recent polling has shown the two candidates within the margin of error of each other.
The attorney general's office said the lawsuit aims to "ensure that all Texans have an equal opportunity to be informed of and participate in the electoral process, regardless of race or demographic."