A bitter conflict between high-ranking figures in Texas legal and political circles has spilled into public view with a lawsuit accusing First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster of abusing the power of his office to smear and retaliate against two former colleagues, attorneys Judd Stone and Christopher Hilton.
Stone and Hilton, now partners at their own firm, Stone Hilton PLLC, claim Webster fabricated an internal email containing false allegations of sexual harassment and strategically released it to damage their reputations and interfere with their business. The email was not the result of any investigation, the suit contends, but rather a calculated act of personal and political revenge.
From Paxton Defense to Personal Vendetta
Stone and Hilton previously worked under Webster at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), but the relationship soured during their role defending Attorney General Ken Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial. According to the lawsuit, tensions escalated after the two attorneys confronted Webster over what they describe as “state and federal crimes” he committed during and after the impeachment proceedings. Webster allegedly responded with lies and retaliation.
After leaving the OAG and forming their own firm, Stone and Hilton allege that Webster continued to disparage them, interfering with their professional relationships and reputation. The lawsuit asserts that Webster’s actions went beyond personal animosity, culminating in deliberate attempts to destroy the firm’s business prospects.
Business Deal Sabotaged by OAG Power Play
The complaint outlines a turning point in November 2024, when Stone Hilton was finalizing a lucrative agreement with a potential client. Upon learning of the deal, Webster allegedly used his position within the OAG to urge the client not to hire the firm. The client ultimately walked away—an outcome the lawsuit attributes directly to Webster’s influence.
This act, the lawsuit claims, crossed a line. Stone and Hilton responded by filing a formal request for records under the Texas Public Information Act, seeking documents they believed would reveal Webster’s misuse of office to enrich himself and target enemies.
A Fabricated Email, Weaponized Through Public Release
The response from Webster, according to the lawsuit, was swift and severe. He allegedly convened more than a dozen meetings with his top aides, Ralph Molina and Josh Reno, to plot a retaliation campaign against Stone and Hilton.
Central to that effort was a December 2024 email that Webster directed his aides to draft. The email falsely stated that Stone and Hilton were terminated from the OAG due to sexual harassment—despite their voluntary departure more than a year earlier. The email also included outlandish and defamatory claims, such as assertions that Stone wished violence upon Webster and made threats involving asteroids.
Though completely fabricated, the email was designed to appear official and was ultimately released to the public in response to coordinated information requests. The lawsuit alleges that Webster encouraged a former Stone Hilton employee, Jordan Eskew—then employed by the OAG—to request the email as a public record, despite knowing that its release would violate Texas transparency laws.
Attorney General Overruled—but Damage Done
According to the suit, once Attorney General Ken Paxton became aware of the email and its contents, he intervened, directing that the message be recalled and denouncing the release as improper. However, by then the damage had been done. Eskew had filed a separate lawsuit relying on the email’s contents, and the media had widely reported on the accusations, often mischaracterizing them as the result of an internal investigation.
Stone and Hilton maintain that no such investigation ever occurred. They categorically deny all harassment allegations and say they were never questioned, notified, or disciplined for any such conduct during their time at the OAG.
Allegations of Corruption and Conspiracy
The lawsuit paints a picture of a calculated smear campaign fueled by personal animosity and carried out using the machinery of state government. It accuses Webster, Molina, and Reno of conspiring to fabricate evidence, falsify official records, and misuse state resources—all with the goal of punishing two political adversaries who had grown too outspoken.
The complaint also suggests a broader pattern of misconduct by Webster, alleging that his use of state authority for personal gain is not isolated but systemic. Stone and Hilton state that their original goal in seeking public records was to expose these practices, but that effort was met with retaliatory force.
“A Petty Tyrant”
Throughout the filing, Webster is described as a “petty tyrant” who “thinks nothing of engaging in criminal or unlawful acts if the ends justify the means.” His alleged “ends,” the suit claims, are always personal—whether to protect his own power, punish his critics, or block professional opportunities for rivals.
The lawsuit seeks damages for reputational and economic harm, as well as punitive damages under both Texas and federal law. It also aims to expose what Stone and Hilton describe as a deeply unethical and corrupt use of public office.
Fallout and Ongoing Investigations
Stone and Hilton say they have reported Webster’s conduct to the State Bar of Texas and relevant authorities. They maintain a positive relationship with Attorney General Paxton, whose office ultimately disavowed the defamatory email.
Still, the consequences of Webster’s alleged actions are ongoing. The lawsuit describes continued fallout from the release of the email, including lost clients, media scrutiny, and reputational harm that extends well beyond the legal profession.
Whether the case leads to formal sanctions, disbarment proceedings, or other accountability remains to be seen. But the complaint makes one thing clear: in the high-stakes world of Texas politics and law, grudges don’t die easily—and sometimes, they go to court.A bitter conflict between high-ranking figures in Texas legal and political circles has spilled into public view with a lawsuit accusing First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster of abusing the power of his office to smear and retaliate against two former colleagues, attorneys Judd Stone and Christopher Hilton.
Stone and Hilton, now partners at their own firm, Stone Hilton PLLC, claim Webster fabricated an internal email containing false allegations of sexual harassment and strategically released it to damage their reputations and interfere with their business. The email was not the result of any investigation, the suit contends, but rather a calculated act of personal and political revenge.
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