Texas lawmakers impeach AG Ken Paxton with 20 articles.

The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is in hot water after a Texas House committee voted unanimously to recommend his impeachment. The committee filed 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton, including accusations of bribery, misuse of official powers, and abuse of public trust over several years. The House of Representatives will vote on the committee’s recommendation on May 27.

Paxton Responds to Accusations

Paxton has denied all allegations and accused the committee members of attempting to oust him from office over false claims. He claims that neither he nor his office had been given an opportunity to address the allegations and that the process has provided no opportunity for rebuttal or due process. He said, “They rejected every attempt to seek a full accounting of the truth.”

Accusations Against Speaker of the House

Paxton has also accused House Speaker Dade Phelan of being drunk while presiding on the House floor on May 19, calling for his resignation over his conduct. The speaker’s office said Paxton’s call for Phelan’s resignation was motivated by the House Ethics Committee’s investigation of a $3.3 million whistleblower settlement the attorney general reached with four former employees who accused him of corruption. Phelan did not respond to Paxton’s allegations of misconduct.

Allegations of Misuse of Office Resources

The House Committee’s inquiry during a May 24 hearing revolved around allegations made by whistleblowers who accused Paxton of using his office’s resources to help campaign donor and real estate developer Nate Paul on several occasions in 2020. In October 2020, eight top deputies in Paxton’s agency told the FBI that they believed the attorney general had used his office to help Paul, who had donated $25,000 to Paxton’s reelection campaign in 2018. All of the whistleblowers were fired or resigned, but the allegations led to a federal investigation into Paxton.

What’s Next?

The accusations against Paxton are serious, and the outcome of the House of Representatives’ vote on May 27 will be closely watched. If the vote passes, Paxton will be the first Texas attorney general to be impeached. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.