Texas Scorecard NEWS DIGEST by Brandon Waltens 7/30/2023
https://blast.texasscorecard.com/t/d-e-vjlihid-urdyljtid-ji/Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton say the 20 articles of impeachment against him are “fatally deficient,” and they are requesting more specificity from the House.
Good morning,
Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton say the 20 articles of impeachment against him are “fatally deficient,” and they are requesting more specificity from the House.
In a Democrat-led vote in May, the Texas House voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton on 20 charges of misapplication of public resources, bribery, obstruction of justice, abuse of public trust, and disregard of official duties—preparing the way for a Senate trial on whether he should be removed from office.
As part of the rules decided on by the Senate, both Paxton and the House impeachment managers are allowed to file pre-trial motions, much like a court of law.
In the latest filing, Paxton’s team says the impeachment articles are too vague to be considered and should be quashed:
Prior to this one, every impeachment in Texas history was the product of months of open investigation, public testimony, and a process transparent for all Texans. This candid past practice led, when necessary, to Articles of Impeachment that accused a particular official of specific conduct that broke one or more identified laws. Not so for this House or for these Articles. The product of a deliberately clandestine process, the Articles of Impeachment which serve as the charging document against the Attorney General are unconstitutionally vague.
Paxton’s team comprehensively argues the motions fail on a number of grounds, including failure to state which laws have been broken, which individuals were involved in alleged misconduct, and others for being “hopelessly vague.”
“The House should be required to amend the Articles or be barred from prosecuting them,” the motion states.
Barring any delays, the Senate trial is slated to begin September 5.