EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was suspended after being impeached. This is over allegations of bribery, unfitness for office, and abuse of public trust.
Allegations include taking bribes from a real estate investor and a political donor who helped remodel his house.
Allegations include Paxton using his influence to look into a federal investigation of donors and firing staff members for reporting his alleged misconduct.
State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, has been named as one of the five Democrats and seven Republicans appointed to prosecute the case in the state Senate.
Joe Moody sent a statement regarding his appointment.
“It would be inappropriate to comment on the case itself before its resolution. But what I can say is that I intend to approach it ethically, diligently, and professionally, allowing the evidence—not partisanship—to dictate the process. Chairman Murr, Vice Chair Johnson, and the rest of the House managers are people of impeccable character who I’m confident will do the same,” read the statement from Moody.
The Director of the Sam Donaldson Center of Communication Studies at UTEP, Dr. Richard Pineda, spoke with KTSM about Moody’s role in the impeachment.
“Representative Joe Moody will be presenting the charges to the House. He, of course, came to the Texas Legislature as a prosecutor. And so, this is right in his fieldhouse. But El Paso will have kind of a unique position of watching the impeachment process unfold,” said Pineda.
Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, will serve on the jury for the impeachment trial in the Senate.
Blanco sent a statement after the vote to impeach Paxton.
“As a member of the Texas Senate, I will have to take an Oath of Impartiality and cannot make public comments regarding the trial. My duty is to follow the constitution, consider evidence presented, and honor our sworn oaths,” read the statement from Blanco.
Paxton tweeted on Sunday that he’s been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support after calling the historic vote “a politically motivated sham”.
Paxton has gotten support from former President Donald Trump who defended Paxton.
The Texas lieutenant governor stated he plans to bring the proposed rules to the Senate for impeachment by the end of June and the trial is expected to happen no later than August 28.
Pineda says impeachment in the State of Texas is rare.
“The reason is because it is a fairly serious matter. And remember that these rules for impeachment were drawn up very early in the creation of the state constitution. So you’ve got essentially a tool that is pretty much the biggest, most significant thing that you can use in terms of dealing with an elected official,” said Pineda.
The impeachment of Paxton is only the third time in a century that a public official at the state level in Texas has been impeached.
