- Texas Attorney General could face impeachment after an investigation cited years of misconduct by the state's top law enforcement official
- The situation comes after a team of lawyers and the House ethics committee laid out details of the probe
- The investigation started after Paxton used state funds to pay for a $3.3 million settlement in a whistleblower lawsuit
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a potential impeachment amid an investigation that cites years of misconduct, including criminal activity and ethical impropriety.
The probe is led by a team of lawyers working with the House ethics committee and laid out extensive details regarding the investigation on Wednesday morning. They included years of misconduct allegations against Paxton, all pointing toward the possibility that he could face impeachment.
Ken Paxton Faces Potential Impeachment
During a Wednesday meeting, five attorneys working with the House Committee on General Investigating said they started to probe the Texas attorney general in March. It was after a proposal to utilize state funds to pay for a $3.3 million settlement in a whistleblower lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed by four former employees who alleged Paxton of wrongdoing, per KXAN.
Authorities said that the evidence collected against Paxton in the last few months support at least a dozen criminal charges against the attorney general. These include abuse of official capacity, official oppression, securities fraud, making false statements, and several others.
However, they added that it was crucial to understand that only a prosecutor could officially file any of the alleged charges. In a statement on Wednesday, a senior House staffer said that the committee's investigation was most likely heading toward the impeachment of Paxton.
The chairman of the committee, Republican Rep. Andrew Murr of Junction, after listening to the lengthy list, said that it was alarming to hear. The committee's attorneys also accuse the Texas attorney general of committing criminal acts and ethical impropriety relating to favors that he did for a political donor, Nate Paul, an Austin-based real estate investor.
Allegations of Criminal Activity
On the other hand, Paxton accused the GOP House speaker of being drunk on the job, and a few hours later, House Speaker Dade Phelan announced the committee's investigation into the attorney general, according to the Associated Press.
The Texas attorney general is also under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over corruption allegations. Phelan later brushed off Paxton's remarks as a desperate attempt to "save face."
The situation marks a tumultuous time for Republicans in the state, highlighting the divisions between Republican lawmakers who control every level of power in the state's government.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for Phelan said that Paxton appears to have routinely abused his authoritative powers for personal gain. She added that the attorney general exhibited blatant disregard for ethical and legal propriety.
Lawmakers and lobbyists around Austin started discussing the possibility of an impeachment vote. They also talked about a subsequent trial in the Senate and how the situation could shift the balance of power in the Republican-led Capitol, said the New York Times.
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