by Mike Killalea, NSD president
The Texas Senate gave impeached AG Ken Paxton a pass on 20 articles of impeachment, and the two chambers have evidently launched an internecine war (1,2). It’s the far right vs the farther right. Moderate Republican? Look under oxymorons, like jumbo shrimp and military intelligence.
And the Farther Right means to punish anyone who dared hold Paxton accountable for his alleged corruption. One key target is House Speaker Dade Phelan.
Stormed Texas Liberty PAC leader Jonathan Stickland in a tweet (“X”?) directed at Phelan: “You and your band of RINOs are now on notice. You will be held accountable for this entire shame. We will never stop. Retire now.” (1)
Wow. Trouble in GOP heaven.
The 60 Republican House members who voted for impeachment, 70% of the Republicans in the House, have been threatened with primary challenges. Of the 150 Texas House members of both parties, 121, more than 80%, voted to impeach. Somebody found the evidence compelling.
Lago Vista state Rep Ellen Troxclair voted to impeach. However, LV state Senator Sen Donna Campbell voted to acquit, claiming that the House impeachment process “did not follow precedence of previous impeachment trials.”
But DemocraticTexas House Rep Vikki Goodwin, like the rest of our caucus, had a different take. “This vote [to convict Paxton] reflects my firm belief that there is ample evidence showing misuse of power and degrading of the officer of Attorney General,” she wrote, stressing that the House impeachment managers presented compelling arguments. “I took this vote understanding the gravity of the allegations. Representing my district and the state of Texas, I believed this as the correct vote, and still do.”
Lt Gov Dan Patrick presided over the Senate trial. In his closing remarks, Patrick was highly critical of the House leadership who brought the case. “The Speaker and his team rammed through the first statewide articles of impeachment in almost 100 years,” he chided Phelan (2).
In turn, Phelan released a lengthy statement of his own (2). One telling quote: “I find it deeply concerning that after weeks of claiming he would preside over this trial in an impartial and honest manager, Lt Gov Patrick would conclude by confessing his bias, and placing his contempt for the people’s House on full display. To be clear, Patrick attacked the House for standing up against corruption.”
Paxton and his cronies meanwhile, have been channeling ol’ Orange Head, former prez Donald J Trump — witch hunt! But this so-called persecution was not orchestrated by Democrats, but by fellow Republicans, specifically “the Bush dynasty,” Texas House leadership, and insubordinate fellow deputies who blew the whistle in the AG’s office (3).
Paxton was restored to office following his acquittal. However, it is a Texas AG office lacking some of its highest-profile attorneys. The agency’s reputation and morale is also in the toilet, according to reports.
And he is not free and clear yet. Paxton faces state securities fraud charges (4). That case has lingered for eight years. Texas’s top lawman is also reportedly under investigation by the FBI, though no charges have been filed.
Links:
3 https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/15/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-closing-arguments/#:~:text=Paxton's team said the prosecution's,turned-whistleblowers in his office
4 https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/texas-ken-paxton-attorney-general-legal-cases-securities-fbi/#:~:text=But Paxton's legal troubles are,he took office in 2015
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