AUSTIN – Texas’ Republican-led House of Representatives on Saturday impeached state Attorney . General Ken Paxton on charges including bribery and breach of public trust, a sudden. Historic rebuke of a GOP official who has become a star of the conservative legal movement for years. Scams and alleged crimes.
The impeachment triggered Paxton’s immediate suspension from office pending.
The outcome of the trial in the state Senate and gave. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott the power to appoint someone else as Texas’ top lawyer in the interim.
The 121-23 vote constituted a sudden defeat for one of the GOP’s most prominent legal warriors. Who in 2020 asked the US Supreme Court to overturn Donald. Trump’s election defeat to President Joe Biden. It made Paxton only the third sitting official in Texas’ 200-year history to be impeached.
Paxton, 60, condemned the move after scores of his colleagues voted for impeachment. And his office pointed to internal reports that found no wrongdoing.
“Today’s ugly scene in the Texas House confirms. That the outrageous impeachment conspiracy. Against me was never meant to be fair or ,” Paxton said. “This was a motivated fraud from the start.”
Paxton has been under FBI investigation for years over allegations. That he used his office to help a donor and was indicted in 2015. On securities fraud charges, though he has yet to stand trial. His party has long taken a silent stance on the allegations — but that changed. This week as 60 of the House’s 85 Republicans.
Including Speaker Ded Phelan, voted for impeachment.
“No man should be above the law, least of all the top law enforcement officer in the state of Texas,” Rep. David Spiller. A Republican member of the committee investigating Paxton, said in opening statements. Another Republican committee member, Rep. Charlie Geren, said without elaborating. That Paxton had called some lawmakers before the vote. And threatened them with political “consequences.”
Lawmakers allied with Paxton tried to discredit the investigation by saying. That hired investigators, not panel members, interviewed witnesses. They also said several investigators voted in the Democratic primary. Tainting the impeachment, and had little time to review the evidence.
“I understand this could be a political weapon,” Rep. Tony Tinderholt. One of the most conservative members of parliament, said before the vote. Republican Rep. John Smithey compared the process to. “A Saturday mob for an afternoon lynching.”
Paxton has been under FBI investigation for years over allegations. That he used his office to help a donor. And was indicted in 2015 on securities fraud charges, though he has yet to House stand trial. His party has long taken a silent stance on the allegations — but that changed. This week as 60 of the House’s 85 Republicans.
Including Speaker Ded Phelan, voted for impeachment.
“No man should be above the law, least of all the top law enforcement. Officer in the state of Texas,” Rep. David Spiller, a Republican member of the committee. Investigating Paxton, said in opening statements. Another Republican committee member, Rep. Charlie Geren. Without elaborating, said Paxton called some lawmakers before. The vote and threatened them with political “consequences.”
Lawmakers allied with Paxton tried to discredit the investigation by saying. That hired investigators, not panel members, interviewed witnesses. They also said several investigators voted in the Democratic primary. Tainting the impeachment, and had little time to review the evidence.
“I understand this could be a political weapon,” Rep. Tony Tinderholt. One of the most conservative members of parliament, said before the vote. Republican Rep. John Smithey compared the process to. “A Saturday mob for an afternoon lynching.”
