Texas AG Ken Paxton Acquitted by Texas Senate on All Articles of Impeachment
“No article received more than 14 of the required 21 votes to convict.”
We’ve previously covered the apparent attempt by establishment Texas Republicans at a miscarriage of justice against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). Most recently, we noted that Paxton had been impeached by the Texas House and had to await his Senate trial to return to serve Texans as their AG.
On Saturday, the Texas Senate acquitted Paxton on all articles of impeachment.
Great! Should never have happened. Hope it opened some eyes in Texas. https://t.co/wPTHf0toEe
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 16, 2023
The Texas Senate on Saturday acquitted Attorney General Ken Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment alleging corruption and bribery, his most artful escape in a career spent courting controversy and skirting consequences of scandal.
No article received more than 14 of the required 21 votes to convict. Only two of 19 Republican Senators, Bob Nichols of Jacksonville and Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills, voted in favor of convicting for any article — a stark contrast to the nearly 70% of House Republicans who impeached the attorney general in May.
Paxton issued the following statement.
My statement on today’s Senate acquittal vote: pic.twitter.com/XZrbfEB5ny
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) September 16, 2023
If you can’t read the tweet (x):
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Comments
Excellent! Hopefully this puts the Bush family on notice; we’re done with dynasties.
*sigh.* Folks, get it right. This was a political hit job by the Phelan machine (RINO faction that controls the Texas House by allying with the Dem minority).
While remnants of the old Bush machine are still around, they have no juice any more and everyone knows it. The Bush name is absolutely radioactive in Texas rights now.
So what will make the Phelan name radioactive? Is the acquittal enough?
Believe me, I’d like nothing more than to see Phelan and his gaggle of RINO’s turfed out. But it is not going to be easy.
For starts, the Phelan family is loaded. We’re talking old-Texas-oil-money loaded (they were one of the families whose land was atop what became the Spindletop Oil Field. He can outspend just about anyone who challenges him for his seat out of couch cushion money.
Second, while the Legislature is in session, Phelan is the most powerful political actor in the state. He has virtually unchecked power over what comes to the floor in the House, and is a classic retail politician. He has a near unlimited amount of political markers he has collected over the years that he can call.
Third, Phelan’s power stems from his use of the archaic “pledge card” procedure to get elected speaker. (I explain that practice here: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/06/why-arent-red-states-red-part-1.php ). That kind of backroom operation is very resistant to elective politics.
It is possible, of course, that this episode will lead to a push to require all GOP candidates for the House to pledge NOT to vote for Phelan as Speaker, and to punish all that do not.
But just as Phelan replaced Bonnen, who replaced Straus (all RINOs cut from the same cloth, who all allied with Dems to get the Speakership), the only serious change will be if it becomes a litmus test for GOP candidates for the state House to promise to select the Speaker by doing it in the party caucus (as has been the official Texas GOP platform for years).
Well written. The real villain is Phelan (rhymes with felon).
Thank you for that rundown. My suspicion from afar is that Phelon is a trash RINO more interested in power than anything
Good analysis. I lived in El Paso for a decade prior to coming home to Bama. Phelan is the epitome of establishment. He and those who support him like the way things are and don’t want anything to jeopardize their grasp on power so they sure as Heck ain’t gonna rock the boat. That’s the major reason to go after Paxton so hard. Whatever else he is Paxton isn’t a product of the TX crony, good ol boy political establishment. He is willing to upset the apple cart and threaten the status quo. Hopefully voters were paying attention and have figured out Phalen and his political cronies are not to be trusted much less protected in office.
https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/house-members-call-phelan-resignation-after-senate-acquits-paxton
Diver sorry for the accidental down vote.
https://images2.imgbox.com/98/f4/Ck6ZCNPx_o.jpg
When the Bushes go back to Maine will they take the Texas Rangers?
Some people like the Rangers, but I’m still pissed that the Dodgers let Seager get away.
I’m angry they ever left Brooklyn.
They are a shell of what they once were
I am pleased.
As am I.
That makes three of us.. a small ray of sunshine.
I think the majority of us Texans are happy today..
As expected, but it’s a relief that it’s over. Not reported here is that, per the same source, he’s still going to have to deal with a federal “investigation”, apparently mostly over the same stuff that the Senate just threw out.
It’s definitely not over, and don’t dismiss the federal investigations so quickly. The securities fraud charges against Paxton predate him being in office as AG, and *are* serious. (He’s been able to use his position as AG to stiffarm them so far, but I suspect he’s going to run out of time soon.)
Only MAGA candidates are persecuted
They will find a picture of him close to DC on Jan 6
Probably in Martha vineyard
Close enough
337 years in federal prison, cause someone heard something
I wasn’t far off
“Paxton also faces a federal investigation, a state bar complaint for seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election and a whistleblower lawsuit.”
“The Texas Tribune reports: …his most artful escape in a career spent courting controversy and skirting consequences of scandal.”
Geez, no detectible bias THERE.
“If you can’t read the tweet (x):”
Thanks! Repeating the tweet in two points smaller text helped! 😵💫
LOL! Just click on it, funny man, to embiggen. Hee!
I linked several videos of Paxtons lead lawyer, he was brilliant and definitely a Texan, in prior posts , inquiring as to way their trial was not front and center…
He deserves a lot of credit and does Dan Patrick for not letting the prosecution manipulate the proceedings.
He was masterful and I Hope President Trump hires him ASAP
I dont think this site had nearly enough postings about Paxtons witch hunt, which was primarily because he is so closely associated with President Trump
He’s going to make an excellent AG for America I. 2025
Tony Buzbee, “The Bush Era in Texas Ends Today” – “They Can Go Back to Maine, THIS Is Texas”…
“Hallelujah! Ken Paxton’s defense attorney Tony Buzbee brings the fire today during his closing statement in the insufferable impeachment effort underway in Texas.”