Ken Paxton supporters rally outside Collin County courthouse ahead of Senate impeachment trial
12-member House board to prosecute AG Ken Paxton
Preparations are underway in the State Senate for the impeachment trial of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Over the holiday, senators set a time frame for the next steps leading up to a trial date over the summer. A House Board of Managers made up of seven Republicans and five Democrats was also announced to handle the prosecution.
DALLAS - Impeachment proceedings against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton officially moved to the State Senate late Monday afternoon.
The House of Representatives delivered articles of impeachment against Paxton to the Senate.
The 12-member board of managers in the House includes four North Texas Republicans.
Saturday, 121 House members voted to impeach Paxton after lawmakers were presented with claims of bribery and abuse of power.
The 12-member board of managers will serve as the prosecution in the Senate trial against Paxton.
Paxton said in a statement he thinks the Senate will clear him of all the allegations.
About 100 supporters of Paxton gathered to protest his impeachment on the steps of the Collin County courthouse, which is Paxton's home county.
60 Republicans and 61 Democrats voted to impeach Paxton after hearing claims of bribery, abuse of power and an affair while in office.
"I think it’s a political hit job," said supporter Eric Bonenberger.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton impeached
The Texas House voted 121-23 to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is suspended from office until the result of a trial in the senate.
"We support Ken Paxton. We don’t think this is right," said supporter Sean Roy.
The impeachment stemmed from a proposed $3.3 million whistleblower settlement with former Paxton employees who said they were victims of his retaliation. Taxpayer dollars would pay the settlement.
"This was all known, and the majority of Texans voted for him in November, knowing the issues were there," said supporter Debbie Bonenberger.
The House investigative committee started investigating the claims in March.
Central to the case is Nate Paul, a Paxton political donor under federal investigation. Investigators say Paxton provided Paul documents that the FBI and DPS did not want to be released.
They say he also hired a young lawyer with tax dollars who created a fake title and obtained dozens of court records in reference to the investigation about the donor.
"The evidence is substantial," said State Rep. Andrew Murr. "It is alarming and unnerving."
Saturday, before the impeachment vote, Committee member Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) revealed Paxton was trying to intimidate Republican House members.
"Less than an hour after the papers were put on the desk, are you aware the attorney general himself called members of this House while they were sitting at their desk and threatened them?" Geren stated. "God bless the senators."
Now that Paxton is impeached, he will be suspended until the Senate trial.
Senators will serve as jurors, but it is unknown if Sen. Angela Paxton, the wife of Ken Paxton, will recuse herself.
In the trial witnesses can testify, it will take 21 senators to vote to remove Paxton from office.
Sunday, the House committee voted to subpoena Uber and a several banks in reference to the case.
Every member from the Collin County Republican Delegation voted to impeach Paxton. Many have a track record of voting in favor of conservative bills.
At the rally, Collin County GOP Chair Abraham George said he typically doesn't endorse primary candidates, but this time he will.
"This year, I am going to take a stand," he said. "I am done with those rhinos in our county. We gotta get them out."
Because the legislative session ends Monday, and the lt. governor has not announced a trial date, it will be up to Gov. Greg Abbott to call senators back for a trial.
If the governor does not, it will be back in the hands of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.