Texas House committee recommends impeaching AG Ken Paxton [Impeached]

[libertybele]

I like Paxton -- this seems like a witch hunt?

Texas House committee recommends impeaching Attorney General Ken Paxton following investigation

A Texas House of Representatives investigative committee recommended impeachment for embattled state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The Texas House Investigative Committee unanimously voted 5-0 to adopt articles of impeachment for Paxton on Thursday, according to FOX 4.

A vote on the recommendation could come as soon as Friday.

In Texas, an impeachment from the House would require Paxton to leave his office immediately pending a trial in the Senate....


https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-house-committee-recommend-impeaching-attorney-general-ken-paxton-following-investigation

[mystery-ak]

 Texas lawmakers issue 20 articles of impeachment against state AG Paxton

In an unanimous decision, a Republican-led House investigative committee that spent months quietly looking into Paxton recommended impeaching the state’s top lawyer.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/25/texas-ag-paxton-republican-impeach-00098921

[Bigun]

I like Paxton -- this seems like a witch hunt

It seems like that because that is EXACTLY what it is!

https://texasscorecard.com/state/house-committee-recommends-impeachment-of-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton/

[Bigun]

https://twitter.com/tomgglass/status/1661940616991846401

[libertybele]

It seems like that because that is EXACTLY what it is!

https://texasscorecard.com/state/house-committee-recommends-impeachment-of-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton/

This is horrible!

[Bigun]

https://twitter.com/WadeMiller_USMC/status/1661913947480502273

And the Texas House is the worst by far!

[Bigun]

https://twitter.com/lukemaciastx/status/1662124311224647680

[Bigun]

No one in Texas has done more to fight the BS being foisted on us by Democrats than Ken Paxton!

Which is why they hate him so!

[mountaineer]

Statement from Texas GOP chairman:
https://twitter.com/MattRinaldiTX

[Kamaji]

Statement from Texas GOP chairman:
https://twitter.com/MattRinaldiTX

[Bigun]

https://twitter.com/RepMattSchaefer/status/1662190052628152325

[bigheadfred]

https://twitter.com/RepMattSchaefer/status/1662190052628152325

Furthermore, it is the stated intent of Speaker Phelan and Chairman Murr that no direct evidence will be provided to the full House when the articles of impeachment are called up for consideration. 

 

[mountaineer]

Phelan sounds like a nut.

[Cyber Liberty]

Phelan sounds like a nut.

#DrunkDade is trending on Twitter....

[Bigun]

Phelan sounds like a nut.

A Democrat and lobby shill in every sense of the word. The fact that he has an R behind his name means nothing.

[Cyber Liberty]

A Democrat and lobby shill in every sense of the word. The fact that he has an R behind his name means nothing.

Assuming the Rats will vote 100% to Impeach, are there enough GOP loyalists to stop this in the TX House?  I understand that Paxton would have to step down if he loses the vote...and resume if he is acquitted in the Senate.

[Bigun]

Assuming the Rats will vote 100% to Impeach, are there enough GOP loyalists to stop this in the TX House?  I understand that Paxton would have to step down if he loses the vote...and resume if he is acquitted in the Senate.

My best guess at present is that this will be stopped by the full house, but I've been fooled before. @Cyber Liberty

https://twitter.com/kimspaintx/status/1662182678987194383

[Fishrrman]

Could someone from Texas explain what this is about, in a sentence or two or three?

Bigun?

What is he being impeached FOR...?

[Bigun]

Could someone from Texas explain what this is about, in a sentence or two or three?

Bigun?

What is he being impeached FOR...?

The following is as good as I can do @Fishrrman

The process being used by Phelan and his committee here gives new meaning to the words "Kangaroo Court". NONE of it is even remotely legal under Texas law.

"Under the direction of Speaker Phelan, the House Committee on General Investigating has conducted its business for many weeks outside the knowledge of rank and file members of the Texas House. To my knowledge not a single member of the Texas House has interviewed, or directed questions to a single witness, and that includes members of the General Investigating Committee. All interviews were conducted by hired staff.

Nor have any transcripts of interviews with witnesses conducted by committee staff been provided to the members of the full House. Nor have members been provided with substantiating documents. To be clear, the full Texas House has not heard any testimony from witnesses, nor have we been provided transcripts of such testimony.

As I write this, I cannot determine whether those witnesses were under oath when they were interviewed by staff. I asked two members of the committee and they did not know the answer.

Furthermore, it is the stated intent of Speaker Phelan and Chairman Murr that no direct evidence will be provided to the full House when the articles of impeachment are called up for consideration.  Texas Government Code Sec. 665.005 states that the full house may compel testimony. The only transcript that has been provided to the full House was the transcript of staff members of the General Investigating Committee presenting an account of their findings to the committee on May 24th, 2023.

After speaking to the parliamentarian of the House, reading the transcript, and asking questions to some members of the General Investigating Committee, I believe this process is being rushed. I do not believe that members of the House have a good understanding of the adequacy, legality, or fairness of the impeachment process. We are being asked to vote on impeachment tomorrow, Saturday, May 27th while in the midst of considering the House budget, and many other legislative items of great importance. I am deeply disturbed by the way this is being handled. Political considerations seem to be involved.

The weight of the decision we face as members of the Texas House of Representatives is enormous. The practical consequence of impeaching the Attorney General is to overturn an election decided by the voters of Texas. Many (but not all) of the allegations in the impeachment resolution were known to some extent by the voting public at the time of the election. I publicly opposed Ken Paxton’s re-election in the Republican primary, and I called out his very serious moral and legal failings. But if it is right to impeach Ken Paxton, it is being done in the wrong way. Barring a drastic change in the nature of the House proceedings on impeachment, I will be voting no. I will vote no because I do not have confidence in the procedure. This impeachment procedure may be a significant departure from the due process considerations afforded during similar proceedings in Texas history.  I cannot vote to impeach when the members of the full House have had no direct access to witnesses or supporting documents, and have had no time to properly prepare and understand the matters in question. The simple truth is that the evidentiary basis to impeach Attorney General Paxton has not been properly established.

https://twitter.com/RepMattSchaefer/status/1662193980870721537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1662190052628152325%7Ctwgr%5Efc3b3541b1af2f92544ab0c932ad81e81e86195e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gopbriefingroom.com%2Findex.php%2Ftopic500799.0.html

[Bigun]

[LadyLiberty]

Michael Berry
2h
  ·
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton should NOT be impeached.  This is a very sordid backroom deal, & it’s all going to be blown open.  Texans are going to be very angry when they hear the full story.  This can’t be blamed on Democrats.  A few Republicans are to blame, & it is bad.

[mountaineer]

Pedro L. Gonzalez
@emeriticus
Phelan is currently leading an effort to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. They’re both Republicans. But Phelan is a reminder of how bad Republicans can be even in red states.

Phelan recently blocked a GOP-led vote on a rules proposal to stop him from appointing Democrats to chair House committees and ended up appointing several of them to committee chairmanships. He has also sided with Democrats to undermine border security legislation.

Now Phelan is overseeing an effort to remove Paxton, one of the most solidly right-wing Republicans in the state. Paxton has been spearheading investigations into hospitals providing gender transition-related care to minors.

The House impeachment vote happens Saturday afternoon. It would be shameful if Phelan succeeds in impeaching Paxton.
2:22 AM · May 27, 2023

[Bigun]

Pedro L. Gonzalez
@emeriticus
Phelan is currently leading an effort to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. They’re both Republicans. But Phelan is a reminder of how bad Republicans can be even in red states.

Phelan recently blocked a GOP-led vote on a rules proposal to stop him from appointing Democrats to chair House committees and ended up appointing several of them to committee chairmanships. He has also sided with Democrats to undermine border security legislation.

Now Phelan is overseeing an effort to remove Paxton, one of the most solidly right-wing Republicans in the state. Paxton has been spearheading investigations into hospitals providing gender transition-related care to minors.

The House impeachment vote happens Saturday afternoon. It would be shameful if Phelan succeeds in impeaching Paxton.
2:22 AM · May 27, 2023

All that and the FACT that Paxton very publicly called Phelan out for illegally being in a drunken stupor while presiding when the Texas House was in session! Asked for Phelan's resignation in fact as he should have.

[Elderberry]

A defiant Ken Paxton lashes out at 'corrupt politicians' on eve of GOP-led impeachment vote

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/ken-paxton-impeachment-response-18121720.php

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday blasted a GOP-led effort to remove him from office over a pattern of alleged misconduct, calling it a “deceitful,” politically motivated campaign in his first public remarks about the case.

BACKGROUND: Texas lawmakers recommend impeachment of AG Ken Paxton over alleged corruption

Ahead of an impeachment vote Saturday in the Texas House, the Republican said he expects to weather the storm despite mounting allegations that he abused his power to help a friend and political donor, Nate Paul. Impeachment proceedings were expected to begin in the House at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Paxton said the House was “determined to ignore the law” and seemed hopeful that the Senate would ultimately vote in his favor.

“I hope the House makes the right decision,” he said. “But if not, I look forward to a quick resolution in the Texas Senate, where I truly believe that the process will be fair and just.”

If a majority of House members vote to impeach Paxton, he would be suspended from office until the Senate decides on his political fate.

Paxton declined to take questions Friday and called on his supporters to “peacefully come let their voices be heard” at the Capitol during Saturday’s proceedings.

Friday’s remarks were potentially the last opportunity for Paxton to defend his actions using his state-funded office resources, as Texas law requires him to step down during proceedings until a decision is made on removal. Complicating the Senate trial further, Paxton’s wife is a state senator.

Paxton said the House was trying to thwart his conservative agenda, listing a handful of consumer protection suits and other legal challenges he filed against the Biden administration just this week and propping up Texas as a leader when it comes to national policy.

More at link.

[catfish1957]

Phelan is a RINO.  Gotta be that way to be electable from inner city Beaumont core consituentcy.