Lt. Governor Dan Patrick issues statement on Articles of Impeachment for Attorney General Ken Paxton
May 29, 2023 | Austin, TX
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today after the Articles of Impeachment for Attorney General Ken Paxton were delivered to the Texas Senate:
“Today, the Texas Senate received Articles of Impeachment for Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Senate will follow its constitutional duty and I appointed a committee to develop proposed rules and procedures for the matter.
“When the rules are drafted, a date will be set for when the Senate will resolve into a court of impeachment to consider the articles.”
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s Special Committee to Recommend Rules and Procedures for Court of Impeachment:
Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, Chair
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, Vice Chair
Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe
Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton
Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston
Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford
Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas
Texas House voted for impeachment on May 27
On May 27, the Texas House voted 121-23 for the impeachment resolution (HR 2377) against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Despite not passing meaningful legislation this session to close the border or secure our elections, the House found time to vote for the impeachment of the best Attorney General in the nation, proving they can really move on something when it’s actually important to them.
“It's truly shocking that not a single person from @KenPaxtonTX's office was ever questioned about this proceeding,” said Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R, Dist. 94) on Twitter. “Can you imagine any investigation in which the suspect isn’t once questioned and when his attorney asks to bring testimony to investigators, he’s turned away? Process matters, especially in such an important undertaking.”
Please watch this informative video from State Rep. Steve Toth further explaining the situation.
Watch AG Paxton discussing this issue on Newsmax.
Read more from True Texas Project.
Representatives not voting for the impeachment were (all Republicans):
Rep. Charles Anderson (HD 56)
Rep. Cecil Bell (HD 3)
Rep. Travis Clardy (HD 11)
Rep. Tom Craddick (HD 82)
Rep. Charles Cunningham (HD 127)
Rep. Mark Dorazio (HD 122)
Rep. Sam Harless (HD 126)
Rep. Cody Harris (HD 8)
Rep. Brian Harrison (HD 10)
Rep. Carrie Isaac (HD 73)
Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson (HD 23)
Rep. Geanie Morrison (HD 30)
Rep. Dennis Paul (HD 129)
Rep. Four Price (HD 87)
Rep. Matt Schaefer (HD 6)
Rep. Nate Schatzline (HD 93)
Rep. Mike Schofield (HD 132)
Rep. Shelby Slawson (HD 59)
Rep. John T. Smithee (HD 86)
Rep. Valoree Swanson (HD 150)
Rep. Ed Thompson (HD 29)
Rep. Tony Tinderholt (HD 94)
Rep. Steve Toth (HD 15)
During debate on the House floor, Representative Steve Toth said:
“Here we are in the Texas House being asked to potentially usurp the will of Texas voters based on no direct evidence by witnesses who were properly deposed and that were never sworn in. This has been nothing but hearsay. We heard that a document—a 340-page document—was removed from the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s site, yet if you Google search it right now, you can find that document on that site. Fact—we heard that an OAG opinion had been issued about foreclosures of property. No such opinion exists. That was nothing more than a letter of guidance from the OAG. There is a huge difference, and we all know that. I am not commenting on Mr. Paxton’s guilt or innocence, rather the lack of credible process that has gone on today. Members, we are establishing a precedent for actions of the future. All the testimony by this committee and members will be placed in the House Journal for future generations. By moving forward without proper guardrails on the initial removal of a statewide official sets Texas on a dangerous path. I ask you to tap the brakes. Let’s make sure we do this the right way and not the wrong way. Please vote no.”
Here is the official vote:
Yeas — Mr. Speaker(C); Allen; Allison; Anchía; Ashby; Bailes; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Burns; Burrows; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Darby; Davis; Dean; DeAyala; Flores; Frank; Frazier; Gámez; Garcia; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Goldman; González, J.; González, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harris, C.J.; Hefner; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Holland; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Jetton; Johnson, A.; Johnson, J.D.; Johnson, J.E.; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kacal; King, K.; King, T.; Kitzman; Klick; Kuempel; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Lozano; Lujan; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Muñoz; Murr; Neave Criado; Noble; Ordaz; Orr; Ortega; Patterson; Perez; Plesa; Ramos; Raney; Raymond; Reynolds; Rogers; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Shaheen; Sherman; Shine; Smith; Spiller; Stucky; Talarico; Tepper; Thimesch; Thompson, S.; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Vo; Walle; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener.
Nays — Anderson; Bell, C.; Clardy; Craddick; Cunningham; Dorazio; Harless; Harris, C.E.; Harrison; Isaac; Leo-Wilson; Morrison; Paul; Price; Schaefer; Schatzline; Schofield; Slawson; Smithee; Swanson; Thompson, E.; Tinderholt; Toth.
Present, not voting — Dutton; Hayes.
Absent, Excused — Oliverson.
Absent — Herrero; Thierry.
Following the vote to impeach, Attorney General Paxton’s office released the following statement:
“The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) released a comprehensive report that unequivocally refutes incorrect testimony that was heard in the House General Investigating Committee. Based on the inaccuracies, falsehoods, and misstatements provided in that testimony, the Texas House chose to proceed with the illegal impeachment of Attorney General Paxton.
“The General Investigating Committee’s politically motivated investigation against Attorney General Paxton is predicated on long-disproven claims grounded in hearsay and gossip. In August of 2021, after nearly a year of diligent investigation into these claims from former employees, the Office of the Attorney General released an exhaustive report that ultimately refuted each of the former employees’ allegations. In that report, the OAG stated it would further investigate the allegations and supplement as necessary. Subsequently, the OAG retained an outside law firm to conduct further investigation into the claims of retaliation by the former employees.
“This law firm investigation culminated in a report that documents the OAG’s legitimate, non-retaliatory grounds for terminating each of these individuals. This report, along with other clarifying and ultimately exonerating information, could have been readily available to the committee investigators had they merely asked.
“Furthermore, an official from the Office of the Attorney General was physically present at a hearing of the House General Investigating Committee on Thursday, May 25. The official offered to testify and sought to inform the House General Investigating Committee about this matter, including by supplying the report, which the official had a physical copy of with him. However, the House General Investigating Committee specifically chose to ignore the official’s offer to testify because they were narrowly focused on advancing an illegal action that would disenfranchise voters who duly elected the Attorney General. They were not interested in the truth. They were interested only in crafting a highly curated, one-sided case to overthrow the will of the voters.
“In light of the irresponsible, unfounded, and illegal impeachment of Attorney General Paxton, the Office of the Attorney General is now releasing the report.”
To read the initial report, click here.
To read the outside law firm’s report, click here.
TAKE ACTION
In light of the watered-down border security legislation passed this session, you would think the Texas House would want to keep AG Ken Paxton fighting against the Biden Administration, but instead they voted to remove him.
According to Texas Scorecard, “The issue will now be sent to the Senate for a trial where he would be required to be convicted by two-thirds of the senators in order to be removed from office. Pending the outcome of that trial, Paxton will be suspended from his duties.”
Please contact your Texas Senator and ask for a NO vote on impeaching the Texas Attorney General.
Sen. Brandon Creighton (Dist. 4)
(512) 463-0104 (Austin Office)
(281) 292-4128 (District Office)
Send an email
Senator Paul Bettencourt (Dist. 7)
(512) 463-0107 (Austin Office)
(713) 464-0282 (District Office)
Send an email
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (Dist. 18)
(512) 463-0118 (Austin Office)
(979) 251-7888 (District Office)
Send an email