Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his decision Saturday in a historic impeachment trial that has left Republicans divided over whether to remove former President Donald Trump’s strong defender from office after years of scandal and criminal charges. , was acquitted of all charges.
The ruling reaffirms Paxton’s durability in America’s largest red state, and comes after an unusual trial that exposed rifts within the Republican Party nationally in the run-up to the 2024 election. It was a broad victory for the hard-line right. Ultimately, Paxton was completely acquitted by Senate Republicans, who serve alongside his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton.
Angela Paxton was not given the right to vote. But she attended the entire two-week trial, including the reading of the verdict, during which all but two of her fellow Republican senators spoke consistently about the 16 articles of impeachment that accused her husband of misconduct, bribery, and corruption. and voted in favor of not guilty.
Ken Paxton, who was absent for most of the proceedings, did not attend the verdict, but issued a triumphant statement shortly afterward, criticizing his Republican rivals who impeached him in the Texas House in May.
“Today, the truth prevailed, and it could not be suppressed by corrupt politicians and their powerful backers,” Paxton said. “I have said it many times: seek the truth! And it has been achieved.”
The Senate also voted to dismiss four articles of impeachment that were not brought up in the trial. More than three months after a stunning impeachment in the Texas House of Representatives forced him to temporarily step down, the path has been cleared for Paxton to reclaim his role as Texas’ top lawyer.
Paxton’s troubles were far from over. He is currently on trial for felony securities fraud, remains under separate investigation by the FBI, and is at risk of losing his ability to practice law in Texas due to his baseless attempt to overturn the 2020 election. exposed.
The 30-senator jury deliberated for about eight hours behind closed doors before taking the historic vote. The Senate is led by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who served as presiding officer in Texas during Trump’s previous presidential campaigns and as presiding judge in the trial.
Patrick, a former conservative radio host in Houston, said little about the case before the trial began, but immediately launched a blistering attack on impeachment once it was over. Still seated at the podium where he oversaw the trial, Patrick said the process had been “forced through” the Texas House of Representatives and vowed to pursue changes to the state constitution to prevent this from happening again.
“Millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted on this impeachment,” Patrick said.
In the Senate gallery, those vying for an early impeachment vote included three of Paxton’s former senators who reported him to the FBI in 2020 and were key witnesses in the trial of the House impeachment managers. It was One of them left before the verdict was finalized, as it became clear that the vote would go to Paxton’s side.
After Paxton was acquitted on Section 6 whistleblower termination, there was no notable reaction from former members of Congress (David Maxwell, Ryan Vassar, and Blake Brickman).
After the trial ended, Angela Paxton went up to her husband’s lawyers and gave them a hug before leaving the chamber.
The lawsuit pits Texas Republican lawmakers against each other over whether Paxton should be removed from office over allegations that he abused his power to protect political donors who are under investigation by the FBI. fell into the realm of
The trial follows an unusual impeachment of Mr. Paxton, whose three terms have been tainted by scandal and criminal charges, pushed by his fellow Republicans and widening the party’s rifts in the nation’s largest red state. He faced a decisive test of his political endurance. For nearly a decade, Paxton has raised his national profile by plunging his office into polarizing legal battles across the country and winning praise from Donald Trump and the far-right wing of the Republican Party. Ta.
The impeachment managers who filed the final appeal to convict Texas’ top lawyer used closing arguments Friday to paint him as a fraud who should be released.
“If we don’t stop public officials from abusing their power, frankly no one can do it,” Republican state Rep. Andrew Marr, who led the impeachment in the Texas House, said in closing arguments.
Paxton’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, attacked a wide range of people inside and outside the Texas Capitol in an angry and defiant rebuttal on Friday, including a Texas Ranger and a witness who warned Paxton that he risked prosecution. mocked another accuser, who shed tears. stand.
Buzbee leans toward divisions within the Republican Party, painting impeachment as a conspiracy orchestrated by the old guard of Republican rivals. He singled out George P. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush, who challenged Paxton in the 2022 Republican primary, questioned the integrity of FBI agents, and questioned the integrity of the FBI agents in Texas. It interrupted a fiery closing argument that slammed the state’s most famous political dynasty.
“I think this is a political witch hunt,” Buzbee said. “I would like to say that this trial showed the nation the partisan struggle within the Republican Party.”
The lawsuit focuses on accusations that Paxton misused his office to support one of his donors, Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. Nate Paul was indicted in June on charges of making false statements to a bank. Paul maintained his innocence.
Eight of Paxton’s former senators reported him to the FBI in 2020, starting a federal investigation that will continue regardless of the verdict. Federal prosecutors investigating Paxton testified before a grand jury in San Antonio in August, two people familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of confidentiality rules surrounding the proceedings. went.
One person said the grand jury heard from Mr. Paxton’s former personal assistant, Drew Wicker. At the impeachment trial, Mr. Wicker testified that he once heard a contractor tell Mr. Paxton that he needed to check with “Nate” about the cost of renovating Attorney General Austin’s home.
During closing arguments, the defense told senators that the evidence supporting the charges either did not exist or was insufficient to support the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. In contrast, House impeachment managers reviewed specific documents and played clips of testimony from the members who reported Paxton to the FBI.
One article of impeachment focuses on Paxton’s alleged affair with Laura Olson, who worked for Paul. It alleges that Olson’s employment by Paul amounted to her bribery. She was called to the stand, but she never testified. Another article alleges that the developer also took bribes to pay for renovations to Paxton’s home.
Paxton faces a number of other legal challenges beyond impeachment. He is under federal investigation on the same charges that led to his impeachment, as well as facing attorney disciplinary proceedings over efforts to overturn the 2020 election and state securities fraud dating back to 2015. He has not yet been tried for the crime.
He has pleaded not guilty in the state case, but his lawyers say removal from office could pave the way for a plea deal.
