Texas AG Ken Paxton refuses to resign before impeachment trial.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vehemently denies rumors of his resignation before the upcoming impeachment trial.
“Wrong! I will never stop fighting for the people of Texas and defending our conservative values,” Mr. Paxton wrote on social media in response to the rumors.
On Saturday, Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, tweeted about “credible chatter” that the suspended AG would resign to avoid testifying at the Senate trial, set to kick off on Sept. 5.
“There’s credible chatter in the last 24 hours that Texas AG Paxton will resign prior to the impeachment trial to avoid testifying. Lt. Gov. Patrick *may* be back-channeling to Paxton that it won’t go well for him in the Texas Senate and to make it easier on everyone. Developing…,” Braddock wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, president of the Senate and presiding over the impeachment trial, also fired back at Mr. Braddock on X, calling the story “outrageous and irresponsible.”
“This is total false reporting. There are no ‘back-channel’ conversations with any party to the proceedings.
‘This is a fabricated story and an outrageous and irresponsible tweet by nothing but a hack writer who often spreads false information without any facts,” Mr. Patrick said on X.
GOP Pressure Mounts
Mr. Patrick, described as the “most powerful figure in Texas politics,” has repeatedly vowed to oversee a fair trial. As the judge of the trial, his actions are expected to be examined closely, given the division among Texas Republicans in the House and Senate.
“He’s been above the fray to this point,” Jerry Polinard, professor emeritus at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, told The Dallas Morning News. “Given his ties with Paxton and his standing as the most powerful figure in Texas politics, it will be interesting to see how he handles the trial as it unfolds.”
Related Stories
-
FBI Arrests Texas Businessman in Wake of Impeachment of State Attorney General Ken Paxton
6/10/2023 -
ANALYSIS: Ken Paxton Impeachment Highlights Divisions Among Texas Republicans
5/31/2023
Earlier Choice Backed Out
Mr. Patrick’s first choice, retired Houston appellate judge Marc Brown, declined the appointment after the Texas Tribune reportedly inquired about a $250 political contribution he and his wife made to Eva Gusman’s campaign in 2021. Ms. Guzman is a former state Supreme Court justice who attempted to unseat Mr. Paxton in the Republican primary.
Mr. Brown said in a letter dated Aug. 19 that he had not recalled the contribution until the day after accepting the counsel role. (pdf)
“I did not recall that during our meetings with your staff,” Mr. Brown wrote, adding that he had “full confidence” that he could be fair in offering legal advice on the impeachment matter but that the proceedings “are far too important to the State of Texas for there to be any distractions involving allegations of favoritism or personal bias on my part.”
About the Impeachment
Mr. Paxton was impeached in May and suspended from duty without pay over allegations that he misused his power to block a federal investigation into Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, whose business was raided by the FBI in 2019.
The real estate developer allegedly bankrolled a home remodel for Mr. Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, and provided a job to the woman accused of having an affair with the attorney general in exchange for his protection.
Ms. Paxton will be required to sit on the Senate floor during her husband’s impeachment trial. However, under t
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...