TX House Impeaches AG Ken Paxton

The Texas House has made history by voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch conservative and ally of former President Donald Trump. The impeachment comes after fellow Republicans accused Paxton of abusing his office. The 149-member House voted 121-23 in favor of impeachment after hours of debate, during which both supporters and opponents of impeachment gave speeches. Paxton will now be temporarily removed from office until his trial in the Senate, where his wife, Angela Paxton, is a senator. Trump, who is seeking re-election in 2024, promised to “fight” Texas House Republicans if Paxton were to be impeached. The 20 articles of impeachment accuse Paxton of various offenses, including improperly aiding a wealthy political donor, conducting a sham investigation against whistleblowers in his office whom he fired, and covering up his wrongdoing in a separate federal securities fraud case against him. Paxton has denied the allegations and denounced the proceedings as “illegal, unethical, and profoundly unjust.” The impeachment has exposed a rift among Texas Republicans, with some supporting it and others vehemently opposing it. Paxton has been known for his far-right stance on divisive cultural issues and has sued the Biden administration nearly 50 times over what he has labeled as “unlawful tyrannical policies” on issues such as immigration, gun rights, and business regulation.