Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R)’s impeachment trial in the state Senate got underway Tuesday morning in Austin. The trial, which comes after the Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach Paxton, mirrors national Republican infighting, with traditional conservatives pitted against allies of former president Donald Trump.
Paxton, 60, has been suspended without pay since May, when Texas House members voted 121-23 to impeach him. The articles of impeachment against Paxton largely concern his alleged efforts to protect a wealthy donor from an FBI investigation and attempts to block whistleblower complaints by his staff. He faces allegations of bribery, obstruction of justice and abuse of public trust, among others cited by a bipartisan committee of Texas lawmakers in the articles of impeachment. Paxton has denied any wrongdoing. If he is convicted on any of the articles, he would be removed from office.
