Texas Attorney General Faces Impeachment Vote by State House – The Texas House has planned a vote on Saturday to determine whether to impeach Ken Paxton, the state Attorney General. Paxton, known for his conservative views and close ties to former President Donald Trump, has been accused by fellow Republicans of abusing his office. The debate is scheduled to commence at 1 p.m. CDT (1800 GMT).
In the event of impeachment, Paxton would be suspended from his position until a trial takes place in the Senate. It’s worth noting that his wife, Angela Paxton, is a senator in the Senate. To permanently remove him, a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is required. Paxton faces a total of 20 impeachment charges.
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Which include allegations of providing improper assistance to a wealthy political donor, carrying out a fraudulent investigation against fired whistleblowers within his office, and attempting to conceal his involvement in a distinct federal securities fraud case, among other offenses. Paxton has vehemently denied these charges and, on Friday, he criticized his detractors, claiming that removing him from his position would serve as a favor to President Joe Biden and his Democratic agenda.
Staking out a position on the far right on divisive cultural issues, Paxton has sued the Biden administration nearly 50 times attempting to halt what has he labeled as “unlawful tyrannical policies” on issues including immigration, gun rights and business regulation. On Thursday, the Texas House General Investigating Committee, consisting of five members, unanimously voted to propose the impeachment and removal of Paxton from his position.
“They are showcasing their absolute contempt for the electoral process. Every politician who supports this deceitful impeachment attempt will inflict lasting damage on the credibility of the Texas House,” said Paxton. He easily won reelection last year after fending off a Republican primary challenge from George P. Bush, a scion of two former presidents. During the committee proceedings, investigators presented testimonies detailing numerous instances of alleged abuse of office by Paxton spanning several years.
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These include accusations that he unlawfully shared FBI files related to the investigation of Nate Paul, a Texas real estate developer who is both a friend and donor to Paxton. The articles of impeachment further claim that Paxton participated in a bribery scheme by facilitating the employment of a woman with whom he was involved in an extramarital affair, and that this act constituted an abuse of his position.
