AUSTIN – Defense attorneys insisted that Ken Paxton’s staff tried to stage a “coup,” the attorney general’s top deputies insisted during the first week of his impeachment trial that they turned the Texas attorney general into the FBI because they had no choice.
Now in the second week of the trial that begins today, House managers will continue building their case that the attorney general should be removed from office.
House managers, who are prosecuting the case in the Texas Senate, have relied on the testimony of former employees who either resigned or were fired in 2020 after several reported Paxton to the FBI. Their testimony focused on Paxton’s efforts to help friend and campaign donor Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor who is under federal indictment for fraud allegations.
Friday’s hearing in the state Senate ended with the testimony of David Maxwell, the attorney general’s former top peace officer. Maxwell testified about repeatedly warning Paxton to cut ties with Paul.
Expect more testimony from former top assistants in the attorney general’s office this week. Their accusations that Paxton committed crimes in his efforts to use the office to help Paul form the foundation of several of the articles of impeachment.
Before Maxwell took the stand Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced that the House managers prosecuting Paxton and the attorney general’s defense team each had used up about one-third of their allotted time for testimony and cross examination.
Paxton hasn’t attended his trial since pleading not guilty to all charges last week. He is accused of bribery, abuse of office and obstruction of justice. The House overwhelmingly voted to impeach him on May 27, and Paxton remains suspended from duty with no pay pending the outcome of the trial.
He is the first statewide elected official in Texas to face removal from office in more than 100 years.
The Dallas Morning News has multiple journalists covering Paxton’s impeachment trial and will be providing updates.
