AUSTIN – Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial will resume Thursday in the Texas Senate with continued testimony from a former employee who reported the attorney general to the FBI.
Ryan Bangert told senators Wednesday that Paxton repeatedly used the agency to intervene in the affairs of an Austin real estate investor now under federal indictment.
Bangert is the second former staffer of the attorney general’s office to testify in the impeachment trial that could result in the removal of the first statewide elected official in more than a century.
Paxton pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations of bribery, abuse of office and obstruction related to his May 27 impeachment in the House.
The testimony of Paxton’s former second-in-command Jeff Mateer dominated Wednesday’s hearing, which included lead defense attorney Tony Buzbee accusing Mateer of engineering a “coup” by reporting his former boss to the FBI.
During a testy back-and-forth, Buzbee sought to paint Mateer as a disloyal employee who assumed the worst in Paxton instead of asking him to explain his actions regarding Nate Paul.
Bangert’s testimony followed, with the former deputy first assistant attorney general providing a more hands-on account of Paxton’s alleged favors for Paul.
They included an intervention into a civil suit involving Paul’s real estate business; attempts to provide Paul confidential law enforcement documents regarding an FBI raid of his home and business; and a rushed legal opinion House managers said thwarted the foreclosure sales of several of Paul’s properties.
Bangert has yet to face questioning from Paxton’s defense.
The trial is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. in the Senate chamber at the Capitol.
