Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been declared free after a week of heated deliberations by 30 state senators.
The four articles of impeachment that were being kept in limbo were likewise dismissed by the state Senate with a 19-11 majority.
“Today, the truth prevailed. The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors. I’ve said many times: Seek the truth! And that is what was accomplished,” immediately following the verdict, Mr. Paxton made a statement.
Learn more about the state senators from Texas. Learn why only 30 of the 31 senators were able to vote on the articles of impeachment. Get the skinny on the party breakdown as well. You won’t want to miss the political twist.
Ms. Paxton was there but did not vote or participate in the trial of her husband.
Prior to noon on Friday, 30 senators began deliberations. They reconvened in the Senate chamber at noon on Saturday to vote on 16 of the 20 articles of impeachment. The provisions of Articles 11, 12, 13, and 14 were suspended.
The House managers required 21 votes to find Mr. Paxton guilty and remove him from office permanently.
Republicans Kelly Hancock and Robert Nichols defied their party to vote against Mr. Paxton with the Democrats.
The Epoch Times contacted Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan for his opinions.
REVEALED: The 3 reasons you should NEVER use Vegetable Oils…
“This is 16 trials in one,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday morning. “This is not a normal trial.”
A Republican-controlled House has impeached Texas’ top prosecutor, who was elected to a third term in November. The allegations against him center on claims that he abused his position to help a well-known real estate developer who was the target of a federal investigation. The charges against him include bribery and power abuse.
Mr. Paul was charged with making fraudulent representations to banks, but Mr. Paxton was left out of the charges.
Catch up on the latest: After missing days of the trial, Mr. Paxton shows up at closing arguments at last! Learn about his absence and the legal issues he has been dealing with.
“I’m heading to Maine to sit down with @TuckerCarlson and discuss the last two weeks in Texas politics. It should be interesting!” this week, Mr. Paxton wrote about X.
Attorney General enters a not guilty plea to all counts without appearing in court or giving a statement.
Closing Arguments
Friday morning saw the conclusion of the trial’s closing arguments, which were delivered by House manager Andrew Murr, the defense’s Tony Buzbee and Dan Cogdell, and included a rebuttal from Mr. Murr and Rep. Jeff Leach.
“Defense closing argument by #TonyBuzbee was a tour de force of torpedoes aimed at the House managers mixed with broad slaps at the agenda of #KenPaxton’s tormentors. #AndrewMurr prosecution close is a yawning revisitation of things they’ve already said,” Mark Davis, a conservative radio broadcaster, wrote about X.
Asserting categorically that the impeachment is nothing more than a planned plot by the Austin establishment in response to Mr. Paxton’s triumph over George P. Bush in the 2022 Republican primary, Mr. Buzbee rejects the House’s allegations against his client.
“This is a political trial,” Mr. Buzbee said. “I would suggest to you it’s a political witch hunt.”
“The Bush-era in Texas ends today,” he continued.
Mr. Buzbee fervently refuted a number of the defense’s untrue assertions.
“There is shame here, and the shame sits right there,” Mr. Buzbee said, pointing at the prosecutors. “That they would bring this case, in this chamber, with no evidence.”
Find out how whistleblower Ryan Vassar sobbed in court while giving testimony after the AOG called him a “rogue employee” in a statement.
“This young man Vassar cried on the stand in front of all of you because he had been called a rogue employee. The very time he was called a rogue employee, he was joking and laughing, poking fun and calling his new boss Brett Webster a jerk,” Mr. Buzbee said.
“But when he came in here at the urging of these people, he cried, cried because he’d been called a rogue employee.”
Rep. Andrew Murr, a Republican, made disturbing witness testimony public and claimed that Mr. Paxton knowingly allowed Mr. Paul to taint the attorney general’s office.
“We discovered unprecedented abuse in the Texas attorney general’s office by Mr. Paxton,” said Republican Rep. Andrew Murr in his closing statements. “He has betrayed us and the people of Texas.”
During the prosecution’s final rebuttal, Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, a previous dependable ally of Mr. Paxton, used the occasion to highlight the significance of the ensuing vote. He implored the senators to understand that this would be the hardest decision they had ever had to make in their political careers.
“I have loved Ken Paxton for a long time,” this is why it was so challenging for Mr. Leach to impeach Mr. Paxton, he said.
Mr. Buzbee fiercely refuted the remarks, claiming that he was actually “testifying.”
The jury will decide what is evidence,” Mr. Leach continued.
The 16 Impeachment Articles
Missing Out on Official Duties
Protecting charity organizations is outlined in Article 1.
Paxton is charged with failing to uphold his obligation to safeguard nonprofit organizations. He allegedly gave orders to his subordinates at the attorney general’s office to intervene in the Roy F. Paul-related organizations and the JoAnn Cole Mitte Foundation. While allegedly intended to help a wealthy contributor, this action allegedly damaged the Austin nonprofit.
ARTICLE 2 – Abuse of the process of consultation
Paxton is accused of misusing his position of power by swaying legal judgments. It is stated that he gave his staff the task of writing an opinion to protect some of Paul’s properties from foreclosure. Paxton asked the chair of a Senate committee to pursue this opinion in order to conceal his conduct. He is also charged with influencing his staff to alter their legal judgment in Paul’s favor.
Article 3: Abuse of the right to access public records
Paxton, who is charged with abusing his position of authority, is said to have interfered with the way his office handled a request for materials linked to a criminal investigation into Paul.
Misuse of official information is outlined in Article 4.
The accusations against Paxton center on the abuse of his authority to obtain Paul’s benefit by using the attorney general’s office’s access to private information.
FRAUDULENCE IN OFFICIAL DUTY
ARTICLE 5 – Cammack’s Engagement
Paxton is accused of abusing his power by commissioning Brandon Cammack, an attorney, to look into Paul’s wholly false complaint. Cammack issued over 30 grand jury subpoenas as a result of this choice in an effort to help Paul.
Termination of whistleblowers under Article 6
Paxton is accused of violating whistleblower laws by terminating arbitrarily and without due process employees who reported his alleged offenses to the police. He is also charged with using both public and private ways to damage these employees’ reputations in the workplace and obstruct their chances of finding future employment.
A BAD USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES
Whistleblower investigation and report—Article 7
Paxton has been charged with abusing public resources in an effort to discredit whistleblowers who had expressed concerns about fired employees. The ensuing report was filled with exaggerations and misrepresentations meant to support Paxton’s actions.
FRAUDULENCE IN OFFICIAL DUTY
Settlement Agreement, Article 8
Paxton is charged with abusing his position of power by concealing his improper behavior that was the subject of the whistleblower’s concerns. By utilizing public monies to negotiate a deal with the informants, he was able to put off the lawsuit as well as the discovery of important testimony and evidence, all to Paxton’s advantage. Voters were allegedly denied the information they required to make an informed choice during his 2022 reelection campaign as a result of this claimed action.
Constitutional Corruption
Paul’s hiring of the lady Paxton has admitted to having an affair with in Article 9
According to allegations, Paxton benefited from Paul’s hire of the lady because she reportedly gave him preferential legal advice or unrestricted access to the attorney general’s office.
Paul is renovating the Paxton mansion – Article 10.
Paul is accused of receiving preferential legal assistance or unique access to the attorney general’s office in exchange for his upgrades.
FALSE STATEMENT IN OFFICIAL RECORDS, ARTICLE 15
In his lengthy written report, which he published in response to whistleblower complaints, Paxton is charged with making multiple false and deceptive claims.
CONSPIRACY AND ATTEMPTED CONSPIRACY, ARTICLE 16
Paxton is accused of planning particular crimes with other people.
MISTAKEN USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES (ARTICLE 17)
Paxton is accused of misusing his power by ordering staff members to undertake tasks for his benefit and the benefit of others.
DERELICTION OF DUTY, ARTICLE 18
Paxton is charged with breaking a number of statutes, the Texas Constitution, his official oaths, and other rules and regulations. These purported actions are against the public’s best interests.
Article 19: Ineligibility for Office
Paxton is charged with behaviour that allegedly shows him to be unfit for government in both the public and private spheres. These claims are supported by the acts that are mentioned in numerous articles.
Abuse of Public Trust, Article 20
Paxton is charged with abusing his authority, weakening the state’s governance, and impeding the administration of justice, behavior that has raised controversy and eroded public confidence in the attorney general’s office. Numerous articles back up these accusations.
