Former Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached by the Texas House as of May 27 causing a rift between lawmakers in Austin and Collin County residents that had once supported Paxton.
Paxton is observed as a controversial figure for his engagements with anti-abortion law, supporting several anti-immigration bills including the “Muslim ban” anti-climate change provisions and playing a role in inciting the 2021 capital riot, according to news outlets such as AP News and the Texas Tribune. However, he found considerable favor with his home of Collin County for defending Texas against federal overreach, his decades of local political support for the county and advocacy for both education and improved transportation. His bipartisan impeachment has caused several investigations into the Texas GOP for others who are accused of corruption, causing debate as the legislative season ends.
20 articles of impeachment have been filed against Paxton for allegations including bribery through a political donor, obstruction of justice regarding his own , false financial statements and misuse of public funds, misconduct against the State Bar, retaliating against the Whistleblower Act and abuse of office. Paxton has been suspended without pay as a result.2015 security fraud trial, false financial statements and misuse of public funds, misconduct against the State Bar, retaliating against the Whistleblower Act and abuse of office. Paxton has been suspended without pay as a result.
In response, nearly a hundred protestors stood outside the Collin County Courthouse on May 29 to protest the third impeachment in Texas history, with his supporters claiming it’s “political pe” according to interviews with CBSTexas. The defense team for Paxton, which includes Tony Buzbee said that Paxton was not presented with his investigation or prepared with a defense prior to his impeachment.
“When I read the 20 articles of impeachment, my first thought was that these were worthless and weak,” Buzbee said in a news conference on June 7.
Attorney interim John Scott will temporarily hold office while Texas’ top lawyers, Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin, will present the impeachment trial on Sept. 5.
“This is not about punishing Mr. Paxton, this is about protecting the public,” DeGuerin said.
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You can’t call something a trial where the presiding person conducting the trial, who is also a voting member of the body acting as jury, is owed $150,000.00 by the Defendent for an unpaid loan that he needs his political orginazation too be able to repay and another member of the jury is named as an uncharged co-actor in one of the counts. Further if this proceeding is in the nature of a criminal trial with the House serving as the charging body, I am just wondering as a criminal lawyer in Texas how many Defendants has Mr. Buzbee had who were allowed discovery and allowed to present a Defense before the Grand Jury charged his client. If being charged without notice and participation of the charging bodies procedure is a travesty of justice then every person indicted for a felony in Texas is suffering the same injustice. Hopefully the truth will prevail, but it will be dispite the Lt. Governor stacking the deck against justice.
The allegations and evidence against Paxton is not “ALL-INCLUSIVE” to what is being said publicly. There are victims of the corruption who sought federal intervention for years. The impeachment is bigger than the whistleblowers, Nate Paul and securities fraud. Let’s see who is called to testify. There are a lot of OTHERS involved. If the FBI do their job, they should depose or include victims too. Paxton is a serious threat to democracy and a risk to public safety. He should have been removed from office.