Indictment of Attorney General Ken Paxton for a Controversy involving an Austin businessman, Nate Paul, with the Texas House of Representatives
Prosecutors said that in 2019, Paxton asked his top deputies for legal counsel on a disputed records request involving Nate Paul, an Austin businessman who was being investigated by federal law enforcement.
The impeachment managers alleged that Paul paid for new cabinets and countertops, but the defense said the photos had not been changed.
Texas House investigators say a few months later, in 2020, Paxton told one of his deputies he didn’t want his office to help the FBI or the Texas Department of Public Safety on the investigation involving Paul.
The House’s move came after Paxton asked for $3.3 million to settle a lawsuit with four of his former deputies who sued him after being fired shortly after they reported Paxton’s alleged misdeeds to the FBI.
The 12 Democratic senators decided to convict on almost all of the 16 articles considered during the trial, and they voted to listen to argument on four others that weren’t considered during the trial. The Republican senators voted to dismiss the allegations related to Mr. Paxton’s indictment in state court.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted Saturday in an impeachment trial before the state Senate. He was accused of trying to shield a political donor.
The only reason Ken Paxton is doing the job is because they dislike him, according to lawyer Tony Buzbee.
Tony Buzbee, the lead attorney for the state of Texas, said the accusations against the state’s top prosecutor were false and that he was impeached because of his political enemies.
But Leach said Paxton had been given ample opportunities to answer questions about the allegations and decided not to do so. He asked senators to convict no matter how painful they were.
“I have loved Ken Paxton for a long time,” Leach said, holding back tears. I’ve done life with Ken Paxton, we’ve traveled, attended church together.
In a moment that will be remembered, a Republican state Rep. spoke directly to the Republican majority in the Senate, saying that he believed Paxton was a political mentor and dear friend.
“Mr. Paxton’s attorneys like to remind everyone that he was elected by 4.4 million voters,” Murr said. “But they have blindly ignored the fact that he has ultimately ended up serving one person — himself.”
“Who would replace Paxton, one of the TOUGHEST & BEST Attorney Generals in the Country?” Trump wrote. “Democrats are feeling very good right now as they watch, as usual, the Republicans fight & eat away at each other.”
Since taking office in 2015, Paxton has sued the administrations of both Obama and Biden over a lot of different issues. He tried to invalidate the election results in five states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. That attempt was turned down by the Supreme Court.
Mr. Patrick praised one of the House Republicans, John Smithee from the deep red Texas Panhandle, who voted against sending the articles to the Senate. Mr. Patrick said that Mr. Smithee’s speech was among the most honest and brave he had ever heard.
“Millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on this impeachment,” Mr. Patrick said. He said the Senate held a thorough trial and that there were hundreds of subpoenas for information and testimony. As he spoke, one Democratic senator walked out of the Senate chamber.
Mr. Paxton, who appeared at the trial only on its first and last days, was not in the chamber for the votes on Saturday. After his exoneration, his wife hugged or shook hands with the lawyers who helped him, including Tony Buzbee, a Houston trial lawyer, who was on the other side of the case.
Before the trial began, Mr. Patrick received a $1 million contribution and a $2 million loan to his campaign from Defend Texas Liberty, a group strongly backing Mr. Paxton. After the acquittal, the group’s leader promised “to lead the charge to fire” those Republicans who supported the impeachment.
Some of the senators, who had been prevented from speaking during the trial by a gag order imposed by Mr. Patrick, emerged from the vote eager to discuss the case.
Senator Nathan Johnson, a Democrat, disagreed. “He abused his powers, not in a subtle way,” he said of Mr. Paxton, adding that the case had been proven by the evidence. He said he felt sick because he saw the United States flag and Texas flag blow in the wind and the rain while he looked outside during the vote.
Only two Republicans out of the 19 who voted voted in favor of conviction, Kelly Hancock from an urban and suburban district that includes parts of Fort Worth and Robert Nichols from East Texas. Ms. Paxton was not allowed to vote.
The impeachment trial focused on 16 articles of impeachment related to accusations, leveled primarily by former top deputies who became whistle-blowers, that Mr. Paxton had abused his office to help an Austin real estate investor, Nate Paul, who was said to have given Mr. Paxton help with home renovations and an extramarital affair in return.
21 of the 31 senators had to vote in favor of conviction on any of the articles to remove him from office. All of the articles received more than 14 votes.
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The lead lawyer said that it was a very difficult task. We were proud of this case. We did what we had to do and that was prove our innocence.
The senators cast their votes on whether to impeach and they gave each of the articles to be read aloud.
They voted, and the Senate was almost completely silent. A storm passed over the Capitol, breaking the quiet with rumbles of thunder. Occasionally, the sound of crickets, which have swarmed over Austin in recent days, could be heard in the spectator gallery, and, in some cases, hopped between the chairs.
The vote was similar to what happens in the Texas Senate, where Mr. Patrick rules with a strong hand and legislation is adopted along party-line votes.