AUSTIN — In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing a yearslong pattern of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking that investigators detailed one day earlier.
During a specially called meeting Thursday afternoon, the House General Investigating Committee voted unanimously to refer articles of impeachment to the full chamber. The House will next decide whether to approve the articles against Paxton, which could lead to the attorney general’s removal from office pending the outcome of a trial to be conducted by the Senate.
kAm}@ {68:D=2EFC6 92D :>A624965 2? 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2=[ 2? 6IEC2@C5:?2CJ DE6A E92E =2H>2<6CD 92G6 9:DE@C:42==J C6D6CG65 7@C AF3=:4 @77:4:2=D H9@ 72465 D6C:@FD 2==682E:@?D E92E E96J 925 23FD65 E96:C A@H6CD]k^Am
kAm%96 564:D:@? 42>6 >:?FE6D 27E6C 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7C@> !2IE@?’D @77:46 56>2?565 %9FCD52J E@ E6DE:7J :? 7C@?E @7 E96 w@FD6 4@>>:EE66 AC@3:?8 !2IE@?’D 2==6865 4C:>:?2= 24ED 2?5 564C:65 E96 4@>>:EE66’D 24E:@?D 2D “:==682=]”k^Am
kAmr9C:D w:=E@?[ 49:67 @7 86?6C2= =:E:82E:@? 7@C E96 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2=’D @77:46[ :?E6CCFAE65 E96 7:G6\>6>36C A2?6=’D 3C:67 >66E:?8 E@ 56>2?5 E@ E6DE:7J @? 3692=7 @7 !2IE@?’D @77:46] $E2E6 #6A] p?5C6H |FCC[ #\yF?4E:@?[ D9@@< 9:D 9625 2?5 >@G65 7@CH2C5 H:E9 E96 >66E:?8[ H9:49 H6?E :?E@ 6I64FE:G6 D6DD:@? 2=>@DE :>>65:2E6=J 27E6C 82G6=:?8 :?]k^Am
kAm“%96 A6@A=6 56D6CG6 E@ 962C 7C@> E9:D @77:46 :? E96 4@?E6IE @7 E9:D :?G6DE:82E:@?[” w:=E@? D2:5] “%96 G@E6CD H2?E z6? !2IE@?[ 2?5 E9:D 4@>>:EE66 — 3J :?G6DE:82E:?8 9:>[ 3J ?@E 2==@H:?8 FD E@ 36 962C5 96C6 E@52J[ 3J ?6G6C C6249:?8 @FE E@ FD 2E 2?J E:>6 5FC:?8 E9:D :?G6DE:82E:G6 AC@46DD — :D ECJ:?8 E@ E9H2CE E96 H:== @7 E96 G@E6CD] (6 56D6CG6 E@ 36 962C5 96C6 E@52J]”k^Am
kAm~?46 E96 4@>>:EE66 C6EFC?65 7C@> >66E:?8 :? AC:G2E6[ >6>36CD G@E65 E@ :DDF6 “AC6D6CG2E:@? =6EE6CD” 5:C64E:?8 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 !F3=:4 $276EJ 2?5 E96 %6I2D u24:=:E:6D r@>>:DD:@? E@ AC@E64E A6CE:?6?E :?7@C>2E:@?] %96 4@>>:EE66 5:5 ?@E 5:D4FDD H92E :?7@C>2E:@? :E H2?E65 AC6D6CG65]k^Am
kAm%96? 4@>>:EE66 >6>36CD G@E65 E@ 25@AE E96 2CE:4=6D @7 :>A6249>6?E H:E9 5:D4FDD:@?]k^Am
kAmx? 2 DE2E6>6?E =2E6C %9FCD52J[ !2IE@? D@F89E E@ EFC? E96 E23=6D @? 2==682E:@?D E92E 96 24E65 :? 2 4@CCFAE >2??6C H9:=6 :? @77:46[ 3=2>:?8 E96 >@G6 E@H2C5 :>A6249>6?E AC@4665:?8D @? “4@CCFAE65 A@=:E:4:2?D :? E96 %6I2D w@FD6]”k^Am
kAm“xE :D 2 D25 52J :? %6I2D 2D H6 H:E?6DD E96 4@CCFAE A@=:E:42= 6DE23=:D9>6?E F?:E6 :? 2? :==68:E:>2E6 2EE6>AE E@ @G6CE9C@H E96 H:== @7 E96 A6@A=6 2?5 5:D6?7C2?49:D6 E96 G@E6CD @7 @FC DE2E6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%9FCD52J’D 6G6?ED 42>6 @?6 52J 27E6C E96 4@>>:EE66 =:DE6?65 E@ E9C66 9@FCD @7 E6DE:>@?J 56E2:=:?8 2==682E:@?D A@:?E:?8 E@ 2 J62CD=@?8 A2EE6C? @7 >:D4@?5F4E 2?5 BF6DE:@?23=6 24E:@?D 3J !2IE@?[ H9:49 :?4=F565 4C:>:?2= 492C86D 7@C D64FC:E:6D 7C2F5 2?5 2==682E:@?D 3J 9:D 7@C>6C E@A 56AFE:6D E92E !2IE@? FD65 9:D @77:46 E@ 36?67:E 2 7C:6?5 2?5 A@=:E:42= 5@?@C]k^Am
kAm|2?J @7 E96 2==682E:@?D 56E2:=65 (65?6D52J H6C6 2=C625J <?@H?[ 3FE E96 AF3=:4 2:C:?8 @7 E96> C6G62=65 E96 H:56 D4@A6 @7 E96 4@>>:EE66’D :?G6DE:82E:@? :?E@ E96 DE2E6’D E@A =2HJ6C[ 2 >6>36C @7 E96 CF=:?8 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ] %96 :?G6DE:82E:G6 4@>>:EE66 92D 3C@25 A@H6C E@ :?G6DE:82E6 DE2E6 @77:4:2=D 7@C HC@?85@:?8[ 2?5 E9C66 H66<D 28@ E96 w@FD6 6IA6==65 qCJ2? $=2E@?[ #\#@JD6 r:EJ[ @? :ED C64@>>6?52E:@?]k^Am
kAm~?=J E96 %6I2D w@FD6 42? 3C:?8 :>A6249>6?E AC@4665:?8D 282:?DE DE2E6 @77:4:2=D[ H9:49 H@F=5 =625 E@ 2 EC:2= 3J E96 $6?2E6] &?56C E96 %6I2D r@?DE:EFE:@?[ !2IE@? H@F=5 36 DFDA6?565 7C@> @77:46 A6?5:?8 E96 @FE4@>6 @7 E96 $6?2E6 EC:2=] %96 4@?DE:EFE:@? 2=D@ 2==@HD E96 8@G6C?@C E@ 2AA@:?E 2? AC@G:D:@?2= C6A=246>6?E]k^Am
kAm#6>@G2= 7C@> @77:46 H@F=5 C6BF:C6 E96 DFAA@CE @7 EH@\E9:C5D @7 D6?2E@CD] %9:D 92D 92AA6?65 @?=J EH:46 :? %6I2D 9:DE@CJ[ E@ v@G] y2>6D u6C8FD@? :? `h`f 2?5 s:DEC:4E yF586 ~]!] r2CC:==@ :? `hfd]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 (65?6D52J’D 962C:?8[ :?G6DE:82E@CD E@=5 E96 4@>>:EE66’D E9C66 #6AF3=:42?D 2?5 EH@ s6>@4C2ED 23@FE 2==682E:@?D E92E !2IE@? 925 C6A62E65=J 23FD65 9:D @77:46 E@ 96=A 2 7C:6?5 2?5 A@=:E:42= 5@?@C[ pFDE:? C62= 6DE2E6 :?G6DE@C }2E6 !2F=] %96J =2C86=J C6=:65 @? 4=2:>D >256 3J 7@FC 7@C>6C D6?:@C 6>A=@J66D H9@ 7:=65 2 H9:DE=63=@H6C =2HDF:E :? a_aa 2C8F:?8 E92E !2IE@? :>AC@A6C=J 7:C65 E96> 27E6C E96J C6A@CE65 4@?46C?D 23@FE !2IE@?’D 24E:@?D E@ 7656C2= 2?5 DE2E6 :?G6DE:82E@CD]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 :?G6DE:82E@CD D2:5 !2IE@? >2J 92G6 4@>>:EE65 2E =62DE E9C66 76=@?:6D :? 2? 677@CE E@ 96=A !2F= H:E9 G2C:@FD =682= EC@F3=6D] %96D6 :?4=F565 DA6?5:?8 Sfa[___ :? DE277 =23@C @? E2D<D E92E 36?67:E65 E96 56G6=@A6C[ AC@G:5:?8 !2F= H:E9 2? :?E6C?2= uqx 7:=6 C6=2E65 E@ 2? :?G6DE:82E:@? :?E@ !2F=[ 2?5 9:C:?8 2? @FED:56 =2HJ6C 7@C Sad[___ E@ 4@?5F4E H@C< E92E AC:>2C:=J 36?67:E65 !2F=]k^Am
kAmr@>>:EE66 :?G6DE:82E@CD 2=D@ 5:D4FDD65 4C:>:?2= 492C86D E92E 92G6 366? A6?5:?8 282:?DE !2IE@? D:?46 a_`d[ H96? 2 r@==:? r@F?EJ 8C2?5 ;FCJ :?5:4E65 9:> @? EH@ 4@F?ED @7 76=@?J D64FC:E:6D 7C2F5 C6=2E65 E@ AC:G2E6 3FD:?6DD 562=D :? a_``] p44@C5:?8 E@ E9@D6 492C86D[ !2IE@? D@=:4:E65 :?G6DE@CD :?E@ $6CG6C8J x?4] H:E9@FE 5:D4=@D:?8 E92E E96 |4z:??6J E649 4@>A2?J H2D A2J:?8 9:> E@ AC@>@E6 :ED DE@4<]k^Am
kAm!2IE@? 92D A@D:E:@?65 9:>D6=7 2D 2 492>A:@? @7 72C\C:89E 42FD6D 2?5 2? 2==J @7 7@C>6C !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A] w:D F?DF446DD7F= =2HDF:E 492==6?8:?8 E96 C6DF=ED @7 E96 a_a_ AC6D:56?E:2= 6=64E:@? D@=:5:7:65 9:D 2AA62= :? 4@?D6CG2E:G6 =682= 4:C4=6D[ 2?5 %CF>A =2E6C 6?5@CD65 9:D C66=64E:@? 3:5] p A2E9 E@ !2IE@?’D DFCG:G2= 4@F=5 :?4=F56 C2==J:?8 E9:D 32D6]k^Am
kAm“u6H :? p>6C:42 92G6 5@?6 >@C6 E@ 25G2?46 E96 4@?D6CG2E:G6 =682= >@G6>6?E[” 7@C>6C %CF>A 25G:D6C $E6A96? |:==6C EH66E65 %9FCD52J] “$E2?5 H:E9 z6?]”k^Am
kAm%H@ @E96C E@A #6AF3=:42?D[ v@G] vC68 p33@EE 2?5 {E] v@G] s2? !2EC:4<[ 92G6 J6E E@ 4@>6 E@ !2IE@?’D 5676?D6[ 3@E9 564=:?:?8 E@ 4@>>6?E @? E96 4@>>:EE66’D 2==682E:@?D 282:?DE E96 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2=]k^Am
kAm}@ #6AF3=:42? w@FD6 >6>36CD 92G6 J6E 42==65 7@C !2IE@?’D :>A6249>6?E]k^Am
(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.