Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties pending outcome of Senate trial

[brooklynite]

Source: Texas Tribune

In a history-making late-afternoon vote, a divided Texas House chose Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, temporarily removing him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office.

The vote to adopt the 20 articles of impeachment was 121-23.

Attention next shifts to the Texas Senate, which will conduct a trial with senators acting as jurors and designated House members presenting their case as impeachment managers.

Permanently removing Paxton from office and barring him from holding future elected office in Texas would require the support of two-thirds of senators.



Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-impeached-texas-attorney-general/

[Beachnutt]

1. Who will Abbott appoint as a replacement ?

Another corrupt trash bag.

[paleotn]

10. That's a given.

The pool of honest, upright Repukes in Texas is....zip, nada, zero.

[dchill]

15. That's the case pretty much everywhere.

[democratsruletheday]

29. Exactly....2/3 of the Repukes in Texas won't convict him

they're as slimy as he is. Repukes gonna REPUKE

[Lithos]

45. The math is not quite right

Texas has 31 Senators. 12 are Ds, and 19 are Rs. Only 21 are needed to vote in favor, meaning just under half of the Republican Senators must vote to convict.

[MayReasonRule]

33. Not All Fascists Are Republicans

But all Republicans are fascists.

[cstanleytech]

44. Oh I am willing to bet a penny that there is at least one.

[Bev54]

25. I have not seen any comment on this by Abbott, is he supporting Paxton or trying to distance himself

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. 121 votes to impeach

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Wonder Why]

28. 121-23. That's a "divided vote"? Only for a math major.

" a divided Texas House" So much for honest reporting. At about 5-1, doesn't sound very divided to me.

[TexasDem69]

3. Still not convicted

Senate has that responsibility and has to be a 2/3 vote. But he’s immediately removed from office so one approach might be to just delay the vote until the next election?

[barbtries]

4. was watching Meidas Touch video

about this earlier, and i have to admit I was very skeptical, so this comes as a pleasant shock.

i mean the man's been under indictment for like 8 years and nothing has happened. better late than never.

[MyOwnPeace]

7. I agree........

from afar (Pennsylvania) I just assumed he was one of the 'in' guys and would ride out all of the negative things covering him.
Really, who ever thought that Texas Republicans would actually have 'principles?'

[barbtries]

11. that can't be it.

he must for whatever reason have become a greater liability than an asset. principles schminciples

[MyOwnPeace]

31. "principles - schminciples".........

LOL - and from Texas yet!

But to your point: Somebody came up with new 'photos' - the kind that ain't good in the 'Committee Room.'

I'm thinking Kenny gave a 'wedgie' to somebody that just can't take a joke......

[OldBaldy1701E]

37. That, and I feel that they think that doing this

Will make them more popular and more likeable. So, they don't mind throwing out one of the more insane members in the name of crowd pleasing. It is just that their actions are not going to change anyone's perception of them. But, as usual, being in total denial of reality can create those who do crazy things to prove they are not crazy.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

38. And like Beachnutt posted above,

Abbott will just appoint another POS to take Paxton's place. Meanwhile if Paxton is removed, I doubt he will be prosecuted in any way (after all, this is Texas and he is a white male with connections). Paxton will end up with a cushy, well-paying job as a consultant, lobbyist, or a "contributor" to one of the right wing propaganda shows on TV or radio.

[OldBaldy1701E]

40. Yep. Where he can whine all the live long day. (n/t)

[Lithos]

46. I think most of the schism is due to anti-Trump sentiment

Paxton is unabashedly pro-Trump.

[LudwigPastorius]

30. His attack on House Speaker Phelan as an inebriate was the last straw for them.

[MayReasonRule]

34. Fascists With Fascist Principles

Intimidation
Incarceration
Extermination

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. House republicans from Paxton's home county voted to impeach

Link to tweet

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Planned obsolescence, Republican style

Next AG!!!

[Traildogbob]

8. So will Abbott

Pardon his boo? Can he?

[SCantiGOP]

17. He can't overturn the impeachment

He could later pardon him if he is convicted in a trial.

[Traildogbob]

18. 😡😡

[paleotn]

9. Killing a sacraficial lamb.

"See! We're policing ourselves!" When in reality, he's no better or worse than any other Republican in TX.

[TwilightZone]

13. Nothing sacrificial about it.

He clearly deserved to be removed from office and the Senate may very well convict him. He should have been removed from office years ago.

If you don't think he's worse than most, you should look into his background and his indictments. He makes Ted Cruz look reasonable.

[MayReasonRule]

35. There Are No Reasonable Nazis

[hadEnuf]

16. Exactly. Texas Republicans could give a rat's ass about corruption.

Look at the rest of the Nazi trash they support.

[keithbvadu2]

12. That was quick.

[FakeNoose]

14. Despite a few bigmouth bullies, I think most Repukes are quietly supportive of LGBQT rights

... just as most of us Dems are. The problem with the Repukes is that they fail to challenge DeSantis, Boebert, Cruz and others when they go screaming their bullying bigotry. I believe most Americans have family members or close friends who have suffered under the cruel bigotry against the gays and trans. It's not right, it's un-American, and it has to change.

The Repukes are hoping we'll make it happen because they don't have the cohones to stand up to the bullies in the Grand Old Losers Party. The anti-gay cruelty is so bad that even the Repukes can see it, they're just too spineless to do anything about it.

Which brings me to Ken Paxton. If the Texas senators are allowed secret ballots, I believe they'll convict Paxton. If they have to vote openly (like Chump's two impeachments), they'll chicken out and acquit him. We already know they have no spine.

[MayReasonRule]

36. The Problem Of The Republicans Is They're Fascists

[LetMyPeopleVote]

19. Tell Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that Dark Brandon sends his regards.

Link to tweet

[Ilsa]

20. Paxton's wife is in the State Senate, isn't she?

Will she be required to abstain from the vote? Will she called as a witness in her professional capacity for any reason?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

21. Lock him up!!!!!

[LudwigPastorius]

22. That scumbag was calling House members on the floor as the debate was occurring.

...threatening them if they voted to impeach.

If anyone needed a little prison time to take them down a notch, it's that crooked motherfucker.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. Hanging or firing squad? C'mon Texas. Kick it up.

[Blue Owl]

24. Suck it you fucking fuck

[Fiendish Thingy]

26. 121-23 doesn't seem very "divided" to me. Great news! Nt

[CaptainTruth]

27. AKA Texas legislators vote to save their own asses from Fed investigation.

That's why they're doing this.

[OldBaldy1701E]

47. That was my thought as well.

There is a reason they turned on him and it isn't that some people don't like him. The rethugs do not do this unless they are protecting their own asses. They could care less about anyone else.

[Polybius]

32. Ya know why the Republicans went along with this?

Because he was viewed as a threat to Dan Patrick becoming the next Governor.

[Martin68]

39. I love that he is suspended from duty pending the outcome. Limits the damage he

Last edited Mon May 29, 2023, 11:10 AM - Edit history (1)

can do in the meantime and is a nicely humiliating event.

[catrose]

43. I hope his salary is suspended also

[LetMyPeopleVote]

41. Interesting map of the Paxton impeachment vote

Link to tweet

[soldierant]

42. IANAL, and even as a non-lawyer

I know a lor less about TExas law than I do about, for instance, my home state. I am assuming that all the people who re saying Abbott will appoint are correct (until the next election.). But can he appoint a successor before there is a guilty verdict? That wouldn't make sense, but it is Texas. Maybe he could appoint an interim, I suppose.