MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — State Rep. James Talarico traveled to Waco Thursday to demand Attorney General Ken Paxton release all files, emails, and texts connected to the case of former Waco attorney Adam Hoffman.
- Hoffman was found guilty of indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor, but a plea deal allowed him to serve less than 30 days in county jail and exempted him from registering as a sex offender in Texas
- Talarico, who is running for U.S. Senate against Paxton, questioned the connection between Hoffman's attorney — who also represented Paxton's close friend Nate Paul — and the outcome of the case.
- The attorney general's office has not responded to a request for comment.
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State Rep. James Talarico is calling on Attorney General Ken Paxton to release the Hoffman files, demanding answers about how an admitted sex offender spent less than 30 days in county jail.
Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate against Paxton, who secured the Republican ticket last month, traveled to Waco Thursday to speak in front of the McLennan County Courthouse. He is asking questions about the connection between Paxton and Adam Dean Hoffman, a former Waco attorney who served less than 30 days in county jail after pleading guilty to sex offenses.
"I'm calling on Ken Paxton to release the Hoffman files," Talarico said.
As 25 News has previously reported, Hoffman was found guilty of indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor. Because of a plea deal, he was not required to register as a sex offender in Texas. Many have called it a sweetheart deal.
Talarico is now calling for every file, email, and text message between Hoffman and the attorney general's office to be released.
"Why an admitted child predator was released after 29 days in jail? Why did he not have to register as a sex offender in Texas? What is the connection with his lawyer and Nate Paul?" Talarico said.
"Adam Hoffman walked out of this courthouse behind me with the help of multiple high powered lawyers, including the attorney who represented Nate Paul, Ken Paxton's close friend and essential figure in the corruption scandal that led to his impeachment," Talarico said.
"His mother says that this is corruption, I think that is exactly what this looks like," Talarico said.
The Hoffman case has also pushed Waco-area Republican State Rep. Pat Curry to push for a law change. Talarico says he will push for federal policy change to protect victims as well.
"And to make sure that law enforcement has the resources to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent, that is the work I've done in the legislature, I'm glad to see that my Republican colleagues are also stepping up to reform state laws," Talarico said.
Talarico pointed to the bipartisan support that helped lead to the release of the Epstein files, saying he hopes a similar coalition — including local Republican representatives — will push for the release of the Hoffman files.
"If there's anything we can agree on, it's that no one should be able to cover up crimes against children," Talarico said.
The attorney general's office has not responded to a request for comment.
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