Texas Legislature

Texas AG Paxton Dodges Testimony, Sparks Speculation

In a surprising turn of events, lead attorney Tony Buzbee announced that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will not testify in his upcoming impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.

The statement, released on the eve of the July Fourth holiday, emphasized Paxton’s determination to fight any attempt to force his testimony.

“We will not bow to their evil, illegal, and unprecedented weaponization of state power in the Senate chamber,” Buzbee said of the House, as reported by The Texas Tribune.After the decisive vote by the Texas House on May 27, Paxton, a three-term Republican, faced suspension from office (without pay,) and the Senate scheduled a trial on September 5 to decide whether to permanently remove him.

The House approved 20 articles of impeachment, accusing Paxton of accepting bribes and abusing his office’s power. The articles have a significant focus on Paxton’s association with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. Paul, who is also a political donor, is currently facing federal charges for eight counts of mortgage fraud.

The recent approval of trial rules by the Senate, granting the presiding officer -Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – the “power to compel the attendance of witnesses,” seems to have triggered Paxton’s defense team, since the rules went against some of the requests made by his lawyers, such as restrictions on witness subpoenas and live testimony.

While Paxton previously expressed his hope for a fair trial in the Senate, this statement marks the first instance of resistance against the Senate’s handling of his impeachment.

Tony Buzbee’s statement primarily criticizes the House impeachment process, focusing on their alleged disregard for precedent, denial of Paxton’s defense preparation, and their intention to ambush him during the Senate trial.

“​​The House has ignored precedent, denied him an opportunity to prepare his defense, and now wants to ambush him on the floor of the Senate,” Buzbee said. “They had the opportunity to have Attorney General Paxton testify during their sham investigation but refused to do so.”

While Paxton’s decision not to testify raises questions, the trial could still feature significant testimonies. According to The Texas Tribune, one of the whistleblowers, Blake Brickman, expressed his desire to testify in person.

“​​The House has ignored precedent, denied him an opportunity to prepare his defense, and now wants to ambush him on the floor of the Senate,” Buzbee said. “They had the opportunity to have Attorney General Paxton testify during their sham investigation but refused to do so.”

RA Staff

Written by RA News staff.

Recent Posts

Texas Supreme Court Protects Judges Who Refuse Gay Marriage on Religious Beliefs

Texas judges who decline to perform wedding…

3 hours ago

Nearly 1 Million Children Across Texas Affected by Immigration Enforcement

Thousands of children across North Texas and…

4 hours ago

City of Dallas Faces Lawsuit Over Death Star Law

The City of Dallas is facing a…

8 hours ago

Trump Says He Will “Send More Than the National Guard” to Keep Cities Safe

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told U.S.…

1 day ago

Cornyn Backs Bill to Keep SNAP Benefits Flowing During Shutdown

Texas Senator John Cornyn is backing new…

1 day ago

Fifth Circuit Reopens Case Over West Texas A&M Drag Show Ban

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will…

2 days ago

This website uses cookies.