The Texas House of Representatives has voted to impeach Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton over allegations of illegal activities related to one of his political donors. Paxton will be temporarily suspended from his duties pending a trial in the state Senate. The resolution to impeach now goes to the Texas Senate, which will be tasked with setting up a trial and deciding whether to convict the attorney general. Paxton denies any allegations of wrongdoings and has called the proceedings a “sham” and illegal. He joins a small list of Texas public officials who have been impeached, the last being in 1976.
As reported in a recent article on NPR, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been impeached by the Texas House of Representatives over allegations of illegal activities related to one of his political donors. This historic vote means that Paxton will be temporarily suspended from his duties pending a trial in the state Senate.
During the House General Investigating Committee, Republican Rep. David Spiller spoke out against Paxton, stating that even though he thinks Paxton has a “brilliant legal mind,” he still violated the law. “He put the interest of himself above the laws of the state of Texas,” Spiller said. “He put the interest of himself over his staff who tried to advise him on multiple occasions that he was about to violate the law.”
Paxton, however, denies any allegations of wrongdoing and has called the proceedings a “sham” and illegal. He’s also continued to claim that the impeachment vote prevents him from protecting Texans from the federal government.
Despite his protests, Paxton joins a small list of Texas public officials who have been impeached, the last being in 1976. The resolution to impeach now goes to the Texas Senate, which will be tasked with setting up a trial and deciding whether to convict the attorney general.
The allegations against Paxton relate to his relationship with a wealthy donor, Nate Paul, who gave Paxton a $25,000 campaign donation in 2018. As reported in NPR, Paxton then allegedly helped Paul with several legal matters, including intervening in a real estate dispute and investigating a company that Paul had invested in.
This isn’t the first time Paxton has faced legal trouble. In 2015, he was indicted on securities fraud charges, but those charges were later dismissed. He’s also been under investigation by the FBI over allegations of bribery and abuse of office.
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Paxton has remained a popular figure among Texas Republicans. He’s been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and has been involved in several high-profile lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 election.
The impeachment vote against Paxton is just the latest example of the ongoing political turmoil in Texas. The state has been at the center of several controversial issues in recent years, including immigration, voting rights, and gun control.
As the case against Paxton moves forward, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on Texas politics and the state’s relationship with the federal government. For now, all eyes are on the Texas Senate as they prepare to decide the fate of the state’s attorney general.
