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Defying a last-minute appeal by former President Donald Trump, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, suspending him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office.
The vote to adopt the 20 articles of impeachment was 121-23.
The remarkable vote took place just two days after an investigative committee revealed the articles, and only two days prior to the end of a biennial legislative session marked by major accomplishments for the right-wing, such as the prohibition of transgender health care for minors and the implementation of stricter regulations on diversity initiatives in public universities.
The recent vote exposed significant rifts within the Texas Republican Party, which happens to be the largest, wealthiest, and most influential state GOP party in America. Despite its uninterrupted success in statewide elections for the past 25 years and its control over both legislative houses since 2003, the party is plagued by underlying divisions, a number of which have been intensified by the emergence and impact of Trump.
Few attorneys general have been as prominent as Paxton, who made a career of suing the Obama and Biden administrations. One of Trump’s closest allies in Texas, along with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Paxton unsuccessfully sued to challenge the 2020 presidential election results in four states.
The focus now moves to the Texas Senate, where a trial will take place with senators acting as jurors, while designated House members present their case as impeachment managers.
In order to permanently remove Paxton from office and prevent him from holding any future elected position in Texas, the approval of two-thirds of senators would be necessary.
Impeachment was supported by 60 Republicans, including Speaker Dade Phelan and all five of the representatives from Collin County — where Paxton and his wife have lived for decades. All 23 votes in opposition came from Republicans.
Following the vote, Paxton denounced it as “illegal, unethical, and deeply unfair.” He expressed his anticipation for a swift resolution in the Senate.
Less than a week after the House General Investigating Committee disclosed their investigation into Paxton’s yearslong pattern of misconduct and questionable actions, including bribery, dereliction of duty, and obstruction of justice, the decision to impeach was made. The committee presented their case against him on Saturday, fully aware of the significance of their actions.
“Today is a very grim and difficult day for this House and for the state of Texas,” Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, a committee member, told House members.
Spiller asserted that it is our responsibility to safeguard the people of Texas from elected officials who exploit their position and authority for personal benefits. He emphasized that we must not condone such conduct as a collective entity.
The impeachment proceedings against Paxton were heavily criticized by his supporters for being rushed, secretive, and relying solely on hearsay accounts of his actions. They argued that Paxton was denied the chance to defend himself before the investigating committee.
“This process is indefensible,” said Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, who complained that the vote was taking place on a holiday weekend before members had time to conduct a thorough review of the accusations. “It concerns me a lot because today it could be General Paxton, tomorrow it could be you and the next day it could be me.”
In a significant development on Saturday, a prominent Republican figure from Texas, known for his controversial yet influential stature, was temporarily ousted. This individual has been at the forefront of an office that played a pivotal role in challenging and obstructing significant policies implemented by the Biden and Obama administrations, particularly in the realm of immigration. Furthermore, he vigorously sought to overturn the electoral defeat of former President Trump in 2020, actively pursued allegations of voter fraud, and targeted medical facilities offering gender care services to minors.
Since 1876, the Legislature has only impeached state officials on two occasions, with no attorney general ever being impeached. However, the House committee members who put forward the proposal for impeachment claimed on Saturday that Paxton’s misconduct in office was so severe that it justified his removal.
“This gentleman is no longer fit for service or for office,” said committee member Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston. “Either this is going to be the beginning of the end of his criminal reign, or God help us with the harms that will come to all Texans if he’s allowed to stay the top cop on the take, if millions of Texans can’t trust us to do the right thing, right here, right now.”
Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, a member of the investigative committee, used his presentation time to criticize Paxton for calling representatives as they worked on the House floor to “personally threaten them with political consequences in the next election” if they supported impeachment.
Speaking against impeachment, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, called the process “wrong.”
Tinderholt expressed his plea, “Let’s not conclude our session in this manner. Let’s refrain from damaging the integrity of our institution. Let’s not diminish the significance of the impeachment process. Let’s not weaken the mandate of the voters. Let’s not gift Democrats with another effortless triumph.”
The vote came as hardline conservatives supportive of Paxton’s aggressive strategy of suing the Biden administration were lining up in support of him. Trump — a close political ally to Paxton — blasted the impeachment proceedings as an attempt to unseat “the most hard working and effective” attorney general and thwart the “large number of American Patriots” who voted for Paxton.
Trump promised to single out any Republican who backed Paxton’s impeachment, exclaiming, “What is happening to our Nation?” Later that evening, he criticized Abbott’s absence, questioning his whereabouts on the matter of his Attorney General’s impeachment through his Truth Social platform, and asked his followers the same.
While the lawmakers attentively heard the committee members present their arguments, Paxton turned to social media to support conservatives who had stood up for him. His endorsements included Trump, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, and conservative radio host Grant Stinchfield, who criticized the proceedings as a “Kangaroo Court in Texas” on Twitter.
Approximately 90 minutes into the debate, the Texas attorney general’s office’s official Twitter account initiated tweets directed at committee members, aiming to dispute certain assertions being made.
The account of the agency requested, “Kindly speak the truth.”
According to the Texas Constitution, Paxton has been temporarily removed from his position while awaiting the Senate trial’s results. The Senate had adjourned before the House voted for impeachment. Patrick, who oversees the Senate proceedings, has not yet provided any information regarding the timeline for the impeachment trial in response to a request for comment.
As Paxton faced impeachment during an ongoing legislative session, the Texas Constitution mandates that the Senate must stay in Austin even after the regular session concludes on Monday. Alternatively, they can schedule a trial for a later date, without any specific time frame specified in the law.
In addition, the constitution grants the governor the power to designate an interim successor. Governor Greg Abbott had refrained from expressing his stance on the impeachment demands against Paxton, and his office did not promptly address a request for comment made on Saturday.
Despite being reelected twice, Paxton faces an unprecedented political peril in the form of impeachment. This threat is magnified by his 2015 indictment for felony securities fraud and an ongoing federal investigation into accusations of official misconduct, which originated in 2020.
From Tuesday to Thursday, a chaotic week at the Capitol culminated with the impeachment vote.
- Paxton abruptly accused Phelan of presiding over the chamber while drunk and demanded that he resign.
- Since March, the House General Investigating Committee has been conducting a covert investigation into Paxton, as revealed recently.
- The attorney general was the subject of a three-hour presentation by the committee’s investigators, which outlined allegations of corruption.
- The full House received 20 articles of impeachment after the committee’s voting, which consisted of three Republicans and two Democrats.
Paxton, who easily secured a third term in the previous year’s election, made a seldom-seen appearance in front of a group of journalists on Friday to express his disapproval of the proceedings. He claimed that he was denied an opportunity to present evidence that would have been in his favor. Paxton labeled the impeachment as a maneuver initiated by Democrats and “liberal” Republicans with the intention of ousting him from office, disregarding the choice of the voters and sidelining his effectiveness as a fighter against the policies of the Biden administration.
Paxton remarked that the Texas House’s corrupt politicians are prioritizing unwavering allegiance to Speaker Dade Phelan over honoring their sworn duty. Furthermore, he stated that their actions are a clear display of their disdain for the democratic system.
The articles of impeachment primarily centered around accusations stating that Paxton had consistently misused his authority as an officeholder in order to benefit a political contributor and close associate, Nate Paul, who is an Austin-based real estate developer.
During the autumn of 2020, a group of eight high-ranking officials from the attorney general’s office reached out to federal and state investigators to express their apprehensions regarding Paxton’s association with Paul.
In the subsequent months, all eight individuals either resigned or were terminated, and the majority of the allegations made against Paxton were disclosed in a lawsuit filed by four former executives. These executives assert that their termination, which they argue was in breach of the Texas Whistleblower Act, was an act of retaliation for reporting Paxton to the relevant authorities. The fate of Paxton’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit currently awaits a decision from the Dallas-based 5th Court of Appeals.
The whistleblowers alleged that Paxton had undertaken a range of unconventional and peculiar actions to assist Paul. These actions included interfering in an open-records case to aid Paul in obtaining documents related to federal and state investigations into his business ventures. Additionally, Paxton was accused of instructing his agency to involve itself in a legal dispute between Paul and a charity, expediting a legal opinion to prevent a pending foreclosure sale on Paul’s properties, and disregarding agency regulations by hiring an external attorney to conduct an investigation beneficial to Paul’s businesses.
According to the whistleblower lawsuit, Paul allegedly financed a significant portion or the entire renovation of a property owned by Paxton in Austin. Additionally, the lawsuit stated that Paul aided Paxton in concealing an extramarital relationship by employing the woman Paxton was involved with. It was also mentioned that the attorney general’s actions may have been influenced by a $25,000 campaign contribution made by Paul in 2018.
The panel’s investigators presented their findings to the House General Investigating Committee on Wednesday, stating that Paxton could potentially be held accountable for multiple criminal offenses and for breaching his oath as an officeholder.
According to investigators, potential felonies were committed by diverting staff resources to assist Paul, resulting in a labor cost of at least $72,000. There are also allegations of misusing official information to aid Paul in obtaining investigative documents. Furthermore, employees who reported Paxton’s actions to the FBI were allegedly retaliated against and subjected to official oppression by being terminated.
Paxton was accused in the articles of impeachment of accepting bribes, neglecting his official responsibilities, and misusing public resources to assist Paul.
Paxton has been facing felony charges of securities fraud and a felony count of failing to register with state securities officials since 2015. These charges were brought against him months after he assumed the position of attorney general. The fraud charges are related to Paxton’s actions in 2011 when he solicited investors for Servergy Inc. without revealing that he was being compensated by the McKinney company for his work.
In addition to accusing Paxton of obstructing justice through legal challenges that delayed the criminal cases, the impeachment articles also pointed out that a donor associated with Paxton pursued legal action that resulted in limited pay for prosecutors involved in the case. These actions caused additional delays, ultimately benefiting Paxton.
According to the impeachment resolution, the accusations collectively revealed a consistent disregard for responsibilities, which went against the Texas Constitution, Paxton’s oaths as an officeholder, and state laws prohibiting public officials from acting against the welfare of the public.
The articles stated that Paxton participated in misconduct, whether privately or publicly, that demonstrated his unsuitability for the position.
Prior to this incident, no attorney general had ever faced impeachment by the Legislature, a rare measure typically reserved for public officials accused of severe misconduct. Throughout history, only two Texas officials, Governor James Ferguson in 1917 and District Judge O.P. Carrillo in 1975, have been ousted from their positions through Senate conviction.
In order for Paxton to stay in power, he must gain the backing of 11 senators. Considering the 12 Democratic senators are expected to support his removal, any votes in favor of acquittal must be obtained from the 19 Republican members.
Several Republican senators issued statements Saturday evening warning constituents and others that their role as jurors in the upcoming impeachment trial prohibited them from discussing the case. In a television interview Thursday, Patrick said merely that he believed senators would be responsible jurors and “do their duty.”
A complicating factor is Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, Paxton’s wife. State law requires all senators to attend an impeachment trial, though whether she will recuse herself from voting is unclear.
Paxton has established himself as a prominent figure in the far-right wing of the Republican Party, earning support from conservatives and becoming a constant source of opposition to Democratic President Joe Biden. Paxton frequently labels his opponents as RINOs (Republicans in name only), accusing them of attempting to hinder his legal battles against Biden’s radical agenda by removing him from the picture.
Furthermore, he maintained the support of the state Republican Party, headed by former state Rep. Matt Rinaldi, known for his frequent criticism of Republicans whom he deems not conservative enough. In a statement on Friday, Rinaldi blamed Phelan for the impeachment, citing his allowance of excessive Democratic influence in the House.
“In a statement, Rinaldi declared that the ongoing impeachment proceedings targeting the attorney general are merely another battleground in the Texas House’s relentless campaign against Republicans, aimed at thwarting the conservative trajectory of their state.”
Paxton has consistently maintained a strong bond with Trump and initiated an unsuccessful legal endeavor in the U.S. Supreme Court, contesting the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, Paxton delivered a speech at Trump’s gathering in Washington on January 6, 2021, just prior to the assault on the U.S. Capitol by the president’s loyalists.
Robert Downen contributed reporting.
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