United States: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton suspended from office

The highest representative of the Texas justice was impeached by the House of Representatives this Saturday, yet with a majority composed of Republicans like him. Attorney General Ken Paxton is suspended from his duties pending trial in the Senate. Ken Paxton is one of Donald Trump's champions, who has given him his full support, but it will not have been enough. He is the third sitting public official to be impeached in 200 years in Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Austin on May 26, 2023. AP - Eric Gay

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With our Houston correspondent, Thomas Harms

It all started when Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Texas legislature to pay him $3.3 million to end a lawsuit against him. A trial of whistleblowers who accuse him of having fired and defamed them. They had uncovered corruption cases involving him personally.

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We are here today because the Minister of Justice has asked Texas legislators to fund a multi-million dollar settlement. We wanted to know more about the reasons for this request," said Charlie Geren, one of the Republican elected officials who led the investigation.

This had a boomerang effect for Paxton. The commission of inquiry found 20 grounds for impeachment: bribery, obstruction of justice, lies, violations of his official duties and embezzlement of public resources, not to mention a suspicion of adultery and telephone threats from Paxton himself hours before the vote to several elected officials.

Trump's support

Unfounded accusations defends the main interested party who condemns an illegal trial, while he was re-elected last year. "Corrupt politicians in the Texas House are determined to ignore the laws and show their utter disregard for the electoral process," said Ken Paxton, who received the support of Ted Cruz, but especially Donald Trump.

It must be said that he is part of the first circle of the former American president. Ken Paxton was on stage with Donald Trump shortly before the invasion of the Capitol and has since sued the Democratic administration nearly 30 times.

But the committee of inquiry managed to convince 121 parliamentarians (61 Democrats, and 60 Republicans) against 23 that there is enough doubt for the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton to be held in the Senate where 2/3 of the elected must agree. In the meantime, the Minister of Justice is suspended from office.

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  • United States
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