[Breaking] Texas lawmakers IMPEACH Attorney General Ken Paxton

Love it when Republicans turn on each other!

 

You know you've REALLY ****ed up when the Tx GOP has had enough with you.

 

Wonder if the committee came upon something extra juicy.

 

House vote tomorrow (majority vote needed). That would suspend Paxton from office and I suspect it's nearly certain to pass.

Senate trial would follow (not sure the timeline). Need 2/3rd vote there. Paxton's wife is a Senator, so he probably has at least one "no" vote (hopefully for him!). Not sure what the result will be there.

 

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-pol...eachment-against-attorney-general-ken-paxton/

Favors for wealthy donor

Article 1 accuses Paxton of violating his duties by harming a charitable organization to help a wealthy donor.

The Attorney General is tasked with protecting charitable organizations when they face lawsuits. The article asserts Paxton improperly intervened in litigation involving Paxton donor Nate Paul and a charity called the Mitte Foundation.


“Paxton harmed the Mitte Foundation in an effort to benefit Paul,” the resolution states.

Article 2 concerns another favor lawmakers assert Paxton did for Paul. It explains Paxton issued a legal opinion to prevent the foreclosure of some of Paul’s properties, in contradiction of his employees’ original legal opinion.

Article 3 asserts Paxton issued illegal rulings to block public information requests concerning records within the Department of Public Safety related to Paul.

Article 4 again implicates Paxton’s relationship with Nate Paul, asserting Paxton misused his official power to improperly obtain private information and divulged records to Paul.


Article 5 Paxton of improperly hiring a special prosecutor to benefit Paul. Paxton hired attorney Brandon Cammack to investigate a complaint on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office and in service to Nate Paul. The committee asserts Paxton did not have the authority to hand-pick a special prosecutor to conduct state business and Cammack was unqualified to act as a prosecutor on behalf of the Attorney General.

Retaliating against whistleblowers

Article 6 accuses Paxton of taking “adverse personnel action” against employees who raised public ethical complaints against him.

“Paxton terminated employees of his office who made good faith reports of his unlawful actions to law enforcement authorities,” it reads, asserting his actions were in violation of state law protecting whistleblowers.


Article 7 accuses Paxton of misusing records to conduct a “sham investigation” into the whistleblower complaints and publish a report “containing false or misleading statements in Paxton’s defense.”

Article 8 accuses Paxton of concealing information from the public by entering into a settlement with the whistleblowers. It describes this action as a way to stall their wrongful termination lawsuit and prevent courts from discovering evidence.

This “deprived the electorate of its opportunity to make an informed decision when voting for attorney general.” Paxton was re-elected last year in the midst of his legal troubles with whistleblowers.

Bribery and extramarital affair


Article 9 accuses Paxton of accepting a bribe from donor Nate Paul. It says Paul received favorable treatment from the Attorney General in exchange for Paul’s employment of a woman “with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair.”

Article 10 accuses Paxton of accepting renovations to his home paid for by Nate Paul. In exchange, “Paul received favorable legal assistance.”

Obstruction of Justice

Article 11 accuses Paxton of using his influence as Attorney General to obstruct legal proceedings against him.

Paxton was indicted in 2015 for federal securities fraud – two charges of first and third-degree felonies. The impeachment articles assert Paxton “concealed the facts underlying his criminal charges from voters by causing protracted delay of the trial.”

Article 12 accuses Paxton of further obstruction of justice. It says Paxton benefited from a lawsuit made by Jeff Blackard, one of his campaign donors. That lawsuit “disrupted payment of the prosecutors in a criminal securities fraud case against Paxton.”

The ethics committee asserts the lawsuit thwarted the trial against Paxton, delayed the discovery of evidence, and again “deprived the electorate of its opportunity to make an informed decision when voting for attorney general.”

False Statements

Articles 13 and 14 accuse Paxton of making false statements in official records to mislead public officials. They assert Paxton made false statements to the State Securities Board to cover up his failure to register with them before selling stocks. Article 14 also asserts Paxton failed to disclose financial interests with the Texas Ethics Commission.

Article 15 asserts Paxton made false statements in a “lengthy written report” in response to whistleblower accusations.

Conspiracy

Article 16 says Paxton “acted with others to conspire, or attempt to conspire, to commit acts described in one or more articles.”

Misappropriation of public resources

Article 17 says Paxton misused his official powers by causing employees to perform services for his benefit and the benefit of others – ostensibly using the time and thus the payment of state employees for personal favors.

Dereliction of Duty

Article 18 asserts these offenses amount to a violation of the Texas Constitution and his oaths of office

Unfitness for Office

Article 19 asserts these offenses amount to unfitness for office.

Abuse of Public Trust

Article 20 asserts Paxton “used, misused, or failed” to use his power for the benefit of the state, “thereby bringing the Attorney General into scandal and disrepute to the prejudice of public confidence.”

The articles end stating their “prayer,” or intention, is for Paxton to answer for these accusations in a trial in the Texas Senate “and judgments be conducted and issued in accordance with law and justice.”

 

Dam!!!!!! He is a bigger POS then I even realized if this is all true...........and an affair!! Maybe his wife won't vote NO ...............oh , who am I kidding , yes she will, the gop has no character.

 

FAMILY VALUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A whole bunch of you mother falcons have voted for this guy simply because he has an R by his name, and that kills me

 

And of course people like Stephen Miller and DJT Jr are come out to defend him. Yet another example of how much of a party of grifter the Republican Party. You have a “warrior for conservative causes” who has been a conman and common thief elected to the highest law enforcement position in the State of Texas.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/26/us/ken-paxton-texas.html

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/26/us/ken-paxton-texas.html

Texas deserves better than it’s current leadership but won’t get it as long as most voters value things like partisanship over ethics.

 

And their only response it to attack other Republicans by claiming they're liberals secretly working for Biden. Everything is a grand conspiracy aimed at taking down the very honorable Ken Paxton. Sure, Jan.

 

Any idea when the vote will occur? The only item listed today on the video site is the Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony.

https://house.texas.gov/video-audio/

 

The Texas House is set to debate 20 articles of impeachment at 1 p.m.

BY TEXAS TRIBUNE STAFF MAY 27, 2023

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/texas-ken-paxton-impeachment-updates/

 

I’m guessing the Feds are close to an indictment, so they are ousting him on a Saturday to lessen the media impact. Then when he is indicted they can claim he is already gone.

 

I think there was a 2020 poll among Republican primary voters about their level of awareness of the Paxton issues, and 50% were unaware. I think all Texas voters were at 80% unaware + slightly aware. Not many people pay attention.