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Ken Paxton reportedly attended Dubai New Year’s party with two indicted men

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 7 outlets across the spectrum.

8 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

The Wall Street Journal reports that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, spent New Year’s Eve 2024 in Dubai with his girlfriend Tracy Duhon and with Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail. The Journal says Ahmed and Suhail were indicted in Illinois on federal health care fraud charges over an alleged $15 million embezzlement from a Chicago hospital. The Journal says it obtained video showing Paxton watching fireworks from a high-rise balcony. Ahmed and Suhail have since returned to the United States, and Ahmed is in custody. Their attorneys say the men returned voluntarily, and the men deny the charges. Newsweek said it asked the Paxton campaign for comment.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Paxton attended a New Year’s Eve party in Dubai with Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    Reported byFar Left2Left1Center1Right2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast, The New Republic
    Left
    The Independent
    Center
    Newsweek
    Right
    Washington Examiner, Daily Mail
    Far Right
    RedState

  2. The Wall Street Journal says it obtained video of the party showing Paxton watching fireworks from a balcony.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    The Independent
    Center
    Newsweek
    Far Right
    RedState

  3. Ahmed and Suhail were indicted in Illinois on federal health care fraud charges over an alleged $15 million embezzlement from a Chicago hospital.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    The Independent
    Center
    Newsweek

  4. Ahmed and Suhail have returned to the United States to face the charges, and Ahmed is in custody.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Independent
    Center
    Newsweek

  5. Paxton is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, facing Democrat James Talarico in the November midterm election.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The Independent
    Center
    Newsweek
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    RedState

  6. Ahmed and Suhail’s attorneys say the men returned voluntarily, and the men have denied the charges.

    One outletNewsweek· Center

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Ahmed and Suhail are fugitives who fled U.S. justice.

    The Daily Beast, The New Republic, The Independent, the Washington Examiner and the Daily Mail describe them as fugitives. Newsweek reports they were indicted and left the country, then returned. Citing the Journal, it says their attorneys describe the return as voluntary, and Suhail’s attorney said he had been held up by civil matters in Dubai.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports that Paxton was filmed at a New Year’s Eve 2024 party in Dubai with two men indicted in Illinois, citing the Wall Street Journal. Left outlets lead with the affair and the fugitives, often in mocking terms, while right-side outlets treat it as a campaign scandal and Newsweek profiles the two men.

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Headlines lead with Paxton’s personal life and the two men as fugitives, and the Far Left outlets use mocking words such as busted and caught.

    Trump’s Loaded modifier“floundering”Judges the candidate’s campaign as failing without a measure the article provides.More neutral: Senate candidateDisagree with this highlight? Senate pick partied in Dubai with mistress and two US fugitives: report
    The IndependentLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    1 outlet

    Newsweek’s headline profiles the two men and hedges with reportedly, placing the footage and the indictments second.

    Who Are Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail? Fugitives Reportedly With Paxton
    NewsweekCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets · 1 opinion

    Headlines present the video and the fugitives as a fresh scandal for Trump’s pick, while RedState at the far end calls the reporting legacy media spin and frames the story around the Democrat.

    Ken Paxton attended 2025 Dubai New Year’s party with US fugitives: Report
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left6

    scandal-plaguedfresh nightmarerevelingBusted

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right6

    scandal-plaguedScandal-cladbombshellLegacy media

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded modifier

    scandal-plaguedMore neutral: Senate nominee

    Labels Paxton as scandal-ridden before the facts of the story are set out.

    Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued Senate nominee in Texas faces a fresh nightmare over claims he partied in Dubai…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)Daily Mail (Right)

  • Sensational language

    fresh nightmareMore neutral: new political problem

    Presents the report as a dramatic crisis rather than a set of reported facts.

    Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued Senate nominee in Texas faces a fresh nightmare over claims he partied in Dubai with his lover and two fugitives wanted by the…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    revelingMore neutral: celebrating

    Describes the celebration as wild enjoyment, adding a judgement about the mood.

    State Attorney General Ken Paxton spent New Year’s Eve 2024 reveling in the Middle East with Tracy Duhon, Anosh Ahmed, and Samer Suhail, the Wall Street…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    BustedMore neutral: Seen

    Busted implies Paxton was caught doing wrong, which the report does not establish.

    Must-Win MAGA Candidate Busted Partying in Dubai With Lover

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Show 7 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    CaughtMore neutral: Seen

    Caught implies Paxton was found doing wrong, which the report does not establish.

    Ken Paxton Caught Partying With U.S.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Scandal-cladMore neutral: Ken Paxton

    Pre-judges Paxton as scandal-tainted before the facts are established.

    Scandal-clad Ken Paxton is facing yet another controversy with Election Day just weeks away.

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Sensational language

    bombshellMore neutral: new report

    Presents the report as dramatic news beyond its stated facts.

    …with fraud fugitives and his girlfriend as scandal-plagued campaign faces fresh bombshell

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    Legacy mediaMore neutral: news outlets

    Groups the outlets reporting the story under one label without evidence of how they reported it.

    Legacy media and its GOP-E(lite) cohorts are running with a Wall Street Journal exclusive that…

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    GOP-E(lite)More neutral: Republican establishment figures

    Labels Republicans who report or discuss the story as an elite group, dismissing them without evidence.

    Legacy media and its GOP-E(lite) cohorts are running with a Wall Street Journal exclusive that centers around Texas…

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Vanishing ActMore neutral: 13-day absence from the campaign

    Implies Paxton was hiding, a characterization the coverage does not establish.

    Talarico Hopes a 'New' Paxton Scandal Will Make the Buzz Around His 13-Day Vanishing Act Disappear

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    flounderingMore neutral: Senate candidate

    Judges the candidate’s campaign as failing without a measure the article provides.

    Trump’s floundering Senate pick partied in Dubai with mistress and two US fugitives: report

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded modifier

    Quoted

    jet-setting lifestyleMore neutral: travel

    A label for Paxton’s travel that comes from a rival candidate’s attack rather than from the reporting.

    …candidate Ken Paxton, who has been attacked by rival James Talarico over his “jet-setting lifestyle,” spent New Year’s Eve 2024 in Dubai with his mistress and two fugitives from…

    Quoted byThe Independent (Left)

    These are James Talarico’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

4 outlets

Leads with

  • Paxton’s personal life and an alleged affair
  • the two men as fugitives
  • mocking words such as busted and caught
See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • CBS NewsLeft

    Ken Paxton partied with 2 fugitives in Dubai, Wall Street Journal reports

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton partied with two U.S. fugitives in Dubai and a woman not his wife on New Year's Eve 2024. CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink has the latest.

    Read at CBS News (opens in a new tab)
  • The IndependentLeft

    Trump’s Loaded modifier“floundering”Judges the candidate’s campaign as failing without a measure the article provides.More neutral: Senate candidateDisagree with this highlight? Senate pick partied in Dubai with mistress and two US fugitives: report

    Texas AG Ken Paxton, currently facing tough midterms race against Democrat James Talarico, spent New Year’s Eve 2024 watching fireworks in U.A.E. in questionable company, according to report

    Read at The Independent (opens in a new tab)
  • The New RepublicFar Left

    Ken Paxton Loaded verb“Caught”Caught implies Paxton was found doing wrong, which the report does not establish.More neutral: SeenDisagree with this highlight? Partying With U.S. Fugitives in Dubai

    Texas Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton spent New Year’s Eve 2024 partying in Dubai with his mistress and two U.S. fugitives indicted on health care fraud charges. …

    Read at The New Republic (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily BeastFar Left

    Must-Win MAGA Candidate Loaded verb“Busted”Busted implies Paxton was caught doing wrong, which the report does not establish.More neutral: SeenDisagree with this highlight? Partying in Dubai With Lover

    Donald Trump’s Loaded modifier“scandal-plagued”Labels Paxton as scandal-ridden before the facts of the story are set out.More neutral: Senate nomineeDisagree with this highlight? Senate nominee in Texas faces a Sensational language“fresh nightmare”Presents the report as a dramatic crisis rather than a set of reported facts.More neutral: new political problemDisagree with this highlight? over claims he partied in Dubai with his lover and two fugitives wanted by the Justice Department. …

    Read at The Daily Beast (opens in a new tab)

From the center

1 outlet

Leads with

  • who the two men are
  • the footage as reported by the Journal
  • the midterm stakes
See the headline from the centerHide the headlines
  • NewsweekCenter

    Who Are Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail? Fugitives Reportedly With Paxton

    The Texas GOP Senate candidate was reportedly filmed celebrating New Year’s Eve in Dubai with Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail.

    Read at Newsweek (opens in a new tab)

From the right

2 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • the video and the fugitives
  • Paxton as a scandal-hit Trump-backed candidate
  • the Democrat’s motives at RedState
See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Daily MailRight

    Trump's Senate pick Ken Paxton caught on video partying in Dubai with fraud fugitives and his girlfriend as Loaded modifier“scandal-plagued”Labels the campaign with a judgement before the facts are established.More neutral: campaign facing new reportsDisagree with this highlight? campaign faces fresh Sensational language“bombshell”Presents the report as dramatic news beyond its stated facts.More neutral: new reportDisagree with this highlight?

    Loaded modifier“Scandal-clad”Pre-judges Paxton as scandal-tainted before the facts are established.More neutral: Ken PaxtonDisagree with this highlight? Ken Paxton is facing yet another controversy with Election Day just weeks away.

    Read at Daily Mail (opens in a new tab)
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    Ken Paxton attended 2025 Dubai New Year’s party with US fugitives: Report

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attended a 2025 New Year’s party in Dubai with two fugitives who did not return to the United States, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar RightOpinion

    Talarico Hopes a 'New' Paxton Scandal Will Make the Buzz Around His 13-Day Sensational language“Vanishing Act”Implies Paxton was hiding, a characterization the coverage does not establish.More neutral: 13-day absence from the campaignDisagree with this highlight? Disappear

    Legacy media and its GOP-E(lite) cohorts are running with a Wall Street Journal exclusive that centers around Texas Attorney General and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Ken Paxton and his extramarital girlfriend Tracy Duhon taking a trip to Dubai for New Year's Eve 2024.

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    7 hr 21 min later

    Its first report, Oct 13, 6:44 AM EDT

  • Center

    14 hr 58 min later

    Its first report, Oct 13, 2:21 PM EDT

  • Right

    First to report

    Washington Examiner, Oct 12, 11:23 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Washington ExaminerRightOct 12, 11:23 PM EDT
  2. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 13, 6:44 AM EDT
  3. The New RepublicFar LeftOct 13, 10:11 AM EDT
  4. Daily MailRightOct 13, 11:15 AM EDT
  5. The IndependentLeftOct 13, 1:54 PM EDT
  6. NewsweekCenterOct 13, 2:21 PM EDT
  7. CBS NewsLeftOct 13, 5:59 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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