The historic impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton commenced on Tuesday, amid allegations of unchecked corruption that spanned several years. Despite pleading not guilty, Paxton was notably absent from the proceedings after his attempts to dismiss the charges were overwhelmingly rejected by the state Senate. This absence, however, does not hinder Texas’ first impeachment trial in nearly 50 years, but rather foreshadows the potential twists that lie ahead in the coming weeks.
Interestingly, Paxton was not the only one who left the trial prematurely. Although the trial’s commencement was broadcasted live by certain Texas stations, the number of empty seats in the Senate gallery surpassed the number of onlookers by the end of the day, despite Paxton’s supporters lining up outside the Capitol before sunrise.
If Paxton is convicted, he could potentially be barred from holding elected office in Texas. Republican state Rep. Andrew Murr, one of the House impeachment managers leading the case against Paxton, stated that he should be removed from office for failing to protect the state and instead using his position for personal gain. Murr emphasized that Texans expect more from their public servants than merely avoiding criminal behavior.
This trial stands out as a rare instance of a political party holding one of its own accountable for alleged wrongdoing amidst the prevailing partisan divisiveness in the United States. For years, many Texas Republicans have refrained from criticizing or directly addressing the numerous legal troubles surrounding Paxton, who has maintained his popularity among the far right by closely aligning himself with former President Donald Trump and initiating lawsuits that impeded the Biden administration’s initiatives.
During the reading of the articles of impeachment, Paxton’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, refuted the allegations as untrue or incorrect and entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of his client. Subsequently, in his opening statements, Buzbee launched into a litany of grievances against the news media, the Texas House of Representatives, which impeached Paxton in May, and the special prosecutors who have pursued him on state charges of securities fraud for several years.
The crux of the case revolves around accusations that Paxton abused his office to assist one of his donors, Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was indicted in the summer for making false statements to a bank in order to obtain over $170 million in loans. Buzbee contended that Paxton did not provide anything significant to Paul, framing the trial as an attempt to subvert the will of the voters.
One small victory for Paxton was the ruling that he cannot be compelled to testify during the trial, which could potentially last for weeks. The first witness, Jeff Mateer, one of eight former Paxton aides who reported him to the FBI in 2020, commenced his testimony on Tuesday.
Paxton’s political fate lies in the hands of the Senate, where his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, is a member. This highlights the intricate web of connections within his case; although Angela Paxton can attend the trial, she is prohibited from participating in the vote to convict or acquit.
The House, led by Republicans, voted 121-23 to impeach Paxton in May. The 20 articles of impeachment include charges of abuse of public trust, unfitness for office, and bribery. This vote immediately suspended Paxton and made him the third sitting official in Texas’ nearly 200-year history to be impeached.
Paxton’s trial will be overseen by a Senate jury composed of ideological allies and presided over by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who loaned $125,000 to Paxton’s last reelection campaign.
Conviction requires a two-thirds majority, or at least 21 senators’ votes. Therefore, even if all 12 Senate Democrats vote against Paxton, they still need the support of at least nine Republicans.
One passionate Paxton supporter, Peter Bowen, arrived at the Senate before sunrise after a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Houston. He believes that Paxton was impeached due to his loyalty to Trump and argues that the voters have already expressed their stance on the allegations against Paxton.
New evidence is likely to emerge during the trial. However, the broad outline of the accusations against Paxton has been public since 2020 when eight of his top deputies reported him to the FBI. These former aides, who were predominantly conservative individuals selected by Paxton himself, informed investigators that Paxton disregarded their advice by hiring an external lawyer to investigate the FBI’s allegations against Paul. They also asserted that Paxton pressured his staff to take actions that benefited Paul.
In return, Paul allegedly employed a former aide to a Republican state senator with whom Paxton confessed to having an affair, and financed renovations on one of Paxton’s properties, a million-dollar home in Austin.
Given that federal prosecutors are still examining the relationship between Paul and Paxton, the evidence presented during the impeachment trial poses both legal and political risks for the attorney general.
After reporting Paxton to the FBI, all eight of his deputies resigned or were terminated. As a result, numerous other experienced lawyers left the attorney general’s office, and internal dysfunction became prevalent behind the scenes.
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