Texas Republican Attorney General Paxton Acquitted!

Paxton acquitted!

“Good news,” Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is expected to head back to work after being found not guilty Saturday on all 16 articles of impeachment, shedding some of the allegations that have dogged him for the last three years.

Soon after news broke of Mr. Paxton’s acquittal, former President Donald Trump weighed in, congratulating him and criticizing the impeachment trial.

“Congratulations to Attorney General Ken Paxton on a great and historic Texas sized VICTORY. I also want to congratulate his wonderful wife and family for having had to go through this ordeal, and WINNING,” President Trump wrote in a post on social media.

President Trump also thanked Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who served as a judge in the trial, along with Republican state senators, who the former president said showed “great professionalism and fairness.”

At the same time, President Trump singled out for criticism Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican, who in a statement of his own lamented the decision to acquit Mr. Paxton as “extremely unfortunate” and pointed out that Mr. Paxton is still the subject of multiple lawsuits and investigations and had “clearly abused his power, compromised his agency and its employees, and moved mountains to protect and benefit himself.”

President Trump called on Mr. Phelan to “resign after pushing this Disgraceful Sham!”

VERDICT: Impeachment Trial of Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton, Jr. – 9/16/23

Background: TREACHERY: Republicans Reject Motions to Dismiss Impeachment Articles Against Texas AG Ken Paxton

Texas Senate acquits AG Ken Paxton on all corruption charges

Paxton, a Republican, dodged removal from office amid allegations of corruption and bribery levelled in historic impeachment proceedings.
A woman is seen handing a slip to someone.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, right, acting as a juror votes on the articles of impeachment against suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Sept. 16, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Paxton was acquitted on all charges. | Eric Gay/AP Photo

By Olivia Alafriz, Politico, September 16, 2023:

The Texas Senate voted to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment Saturday, marking the end of a stunning saga that has divided the ruby red state’s GOP.

Paxton, a Republican, dodged removal from office amid allegations of corruption and bribery, which would have required 21 votes from a jury of 30 senators to convict on any of the articles of impeachment. The state’s highest law enforcement official was only the third office holder in Texas’ nearly 200-year history to be impeached.

“Today, the truth prevailed. The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors,” Paxton said in a statement issued shortly after his acquittal.

Paxton, who was suspended from office after he was impeached by the Texas House, will be allowed to resume his duties.