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Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached by the Texas State House of Representatives last week, sending shockwaves across the nation.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, “The General Investigating Committee’s politically motivated investigation against Attorney General Paxton is predicated on long-disproven claims grounded in hearsay and gossip.”
Paxton has been a mainstay America First AG in the Lone Star State and won his reelection in November by a landslide, along with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Paxton was also endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Trump himself commented on the impeachment proceedings in Texas, writing on Truth Social, “MISSING IN ACTION! Where is the Governor of Texas on his Attorney General’s Impeachment?”
In a separate social media comment, Trump remarked, “Hopefully Republicans in the Texas House will agree that this is a very unfair process that should not be allowed to happen or proceed—I will fight you if it does. It is the Radical Left Democrats, RINOS, and Criminals that never stop. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! Free Ken Paxton, let them wait for the next election!”
According to a report from The Epoch Times, House Republicans voted to impeach and subsequently suspend Paxton in a vote of 121-23, based on colorful allegations of bribery charges and “abuse of public trust.”
In response to the actions taken by the State House, Paxton’s office released a more than 370-page report that dealt with the complaints and actions taken by “former political appointees” of the Texas attorney general’s office.
Per Epoch, whistleblowers related to these varied charges investigated by the House Committee were allegedly fired by or resigned from Paxton’s office, reportedly kick-starting a federal investigation at the behest of the DOJ, although no charges have been brought.
Further, Paxton’s office clarified:
“In August of 2021, after nearly a year of diligent investigation into these claims from former employees, the Office of the Attorney General released an exhaustive report that ultimately refuted each of the former employees’ allegations. In that report, the OAG stated it would further investigate the allegations and supplement as necessary. Subsequently, the OAG retained an outside law firm to conduct further investigation into the claims of retaliation by the former employees.”
Attorney General Paxton will now be referred to the Texas State Senate for trial.
