Ken Paxton's impeachment attorney says House isn't turning over documents ahead of trial
AUSTIN, Texas - The legal team for suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claims the House isn’t turning over evidence ahead of the September impeachment trial.
The lieutenant governor issued an order to make sure that evidence is properly being turned over.
Even before he was impeached, Paxton and his supporters sought to attack the process.
They are now taking aim at how and when the House is turning over documents.
With less than two months to go until the Senate meets for Paxton’s impeachment trial, his team is taking a swing at the House impeachment managers.
In a new motion, his team asks the Senate to set strict deadlines for turning over documents and filing motions ahead of the impeachment trial set for September 5.
Ken Paxton will not testify at impeachment trial, defense attorney says
The Texas Senate could compel the suspended attorney general to testify but his defense team says they will fight those efforts.
Paxton’s lead attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement: "[House impeachment managers] continue to disregard individual rights and due process guaranteed by the United States and the Texas Constitution by withholding basic information they are legally required to disclose."
The Texas Tribune reports Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued an order late Wednesday demanding the House team turn over documents, but without firm deadlines.
In a radio interview Tuesday, although not addressing Buzbee’s comments, Patrick reminded Texans the impeachment trial isn’t a typical trial.
"It's not a criminal trial. It's not a civil trial. It's a political trial. It’s, did someone do something that raises to the level if it's proven they did it, that removes them from office. And there's no appeal, in other words there's no appellate court later that can overturn whatever we decide," he said.
Patrick, who presides over the Senate is forecasting the trial will last two and a half to three weeks.
He also shared he may bring in outside help to assist him in managing the trial.
"I will very likely hire someone to work with me. It may be a retired judge or someone on those issues that are more complicated, but I need some assistance," Patrick said. "So it’s just like I have a parliamentarian now on complex issues. I can't know everything, obviously, and but I'll have to preside."