Texas Senate Acquits Paxton: Republican Vote Remains Strong

Republicans in the Texas Senate rallied behind Attorney General Ken Paxton over the weekend, resulting in his acquittal on impeachment charges. The vote, which took place at the Capitol in Austin, saw Paxton facing 16 articles of impeachment, with each charge requiring a two-thirds majority of 21 votes for conviction. All 18 Republicans present voted to clear Paxton, according to Axios. The process was entirely partisan, as reported by the New York Times, with Republicans both defending and opposing Paxton. Previously suspended and replaced by an interim, Paxton’s acquittal reinstates him as Texas attorney general in his third term.

Senate Republicans diverged from their House counterparts, who had overwhelmingly voted in favor of Paxton’s impeachment. The House investigation had centered around allegations that Paxton had misused his office for personal gain and fired staff who reported his acceptance of bribes to the FBI. In response to the verdict, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who presided over the trial, criticized the House for rushing into the impeachment case. One Democratic senator walked out during Patrick’s speech. Patrick stated, “Millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on this impeachment.”

Gov. Greg Abbott, also a Republican, had remained silent on the matter. However, he expressed support for Paxton shortly after the acquittal, stating that he believes Paxton received a fair trial. Abbott added, “I look forward to continuing to work with him to secure the border and protect Texas from federal overreach.” Despite the acquittal, Paxton still faces charges of securities fraud, a whistleblower lawsuit, and a state bar lawsuit regarding his challenge to the 2020 election results, which could potentially result in disbarment. (Read more Ken Paxton stories.)