📝🗳️ Impeachmene Vote Lined Up fo’ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: What You Gotta Know
“Kanpela Time fo Vote on da Impeachment fo Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: K’ den, Let’s Talk Story 📰🌵”
Da Texas House stay ready fo vote on dis Saturday on top da impeachment of Mr. Paxton, afta plenny years of official complaints an’ kine court cases involving da three-term attorney general. 🏛️🤠
Da Republican party, get choke control inside da Texas House, dey wen’ schedule one vote on top da impeachment of da state’s Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, fo’ dis Saturday at 1 p.m. ⏰
Da vote was supposed fo’ go down jus’ two days afta one mix-plate kine committee of representatives dat mostly Republican, but still get some Democrats, wen’ recommend dat Mr. Paxton should be impeached fo’ all kine stuffs dat maybe was crimes. 🏛️🤔
Dis attorney general been dealing wit all kine legal beef fo’ years, dealing wit all da investigation stuff but no more real political problems. On Friday, Mr. Paxton wen’ again say he neva do any pilau and invited his supporters fo’ make “peaceful” kine noise during da impeachment vote at da State Capitol. 🕊️🗣️
So, who dis Ken Paxton? 🕵️♂️
Before he wen’ become da attorney general in 2015, Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr. was working as one lawyer and state legislator, serving inside both da State House an’ Senate. His wahine, Angela Paxton, wen’ become one political power of her own and won one seat in da State Senate in 2018. 💺🏛️
As da state’s top law enforcement officer, Mr. Paxton wen’ make himself out fo’ be one champion of da social issues dat drive Texas conservatives, kinda like becoming da state’s head culture-warrior. His hard-charging style has made some Republican friends step back, even wen’ da voters stay loyal. 🤠💪
Mr. Paxton stay tight wit — and get da approval by — ex-president Donald J. Trump, and he been using his office fo’ challenge da results of da 2020 election. He also been mounting plenny legal challenges to actions by da Biden administration, and been at da front line of Republican-led states’ attempts fo’ challenge da president’s efforts fo’ make some restrictions on migration on da U.S. southern border more easy. 🗳️🌎
Da voters wen’ re-elect Mr. Paxton fo’ a third term by one wide margin in November. 🗳️🎉
So, what kine accusations wen’ make da House start investigating? 🕵️♀️🔍
In 2020, some of da top guys in Mr. Paxton’s office wen’ write one letter asking fo’ one investigation into da actions of their boss. Da workers wen’ accuse Mr. Paxton of using his office fo’ help Nate Paul, who was one friend of da attorney general an’ one political donor. 💰🔍
Mr. Paul, one rich kine real estate investor in Austin, had called Mr. Paxton afta his house an’ offices wen’ raided by federal agents in 2019. Mr. Paxton did one unusual thing, against his staff’s big time objections, of okaying one state investigation of da F.B.I.’s actions. He wen’ choose one outside lawyer who called himself one special prosecutor fo’ do it, even though investigators fo’ da House committee said dat he no get prosecutorial experience. F.B.I. officials neva say nothing ’bout their investigation. 🏠🕵️♂️
Dat time, Mr. Paxton said in one statement dat he neva been motivated by one desire fo’ protect one political donor or fo’ abuse dis office, nor will I ever.” 🙅♂️🔒
In their 2020 letter, Mr. Paxton’s workers said dat he had done bribery, abuse of office an’ odda “potential criminal offenses.” Four of da workers also wen’ bring their concerns to da F.B.I. an’ Texas Rangers. 🔍🚔
Based on da legal documents in da case, da four workers had also told their concerns to da attorney general’s office; afta couple weeks, all of dem wen’ get fired. Da workers filed suit afta dat, accusing Mr. Paxton of doing payback against them. 🔨⚖️
As da case wen’ go on, Mr. Paxton’s office wen’ put out one 374-page report dat said, “A.G. Paxton wen’ commit no crime.” He also wen’ challenge da suit, but one Texas court of appeals wen’ rule against him. In February, Mr. Paxton wen’ agree fo’ pay $3.3 million in one settlement wit da four old senior aides. 💵👥
So how all dat lead to da chance of impeachment? 🤔📜
Questions ’bout how fo’ pay da settlement wen’ make more investigation into da 2020 accusations.
Mr. Paxton wen’ ask da Texas Legislature fo’ da money fo’ pay da $3.3 million. Dade Phelan, da Republican House speaker, who is seen as one traditional conservative, neva support dat use of state money. One House investigation into da accusations wen’ start fo’ gather information ’bout da funding request, Mr. Phelan’s spokeswoman wen’ say. 💰🗂️
Plenny of da investigators’ findings ’bout Mr. Paxton was already known publicly, from da allegations made in da workers’ lawsuit. But da House committee vote on Thursday wen’ make da first official judgement on top those accusations: Dey was, da lawmakers wen’ say, enough fo’ start da process of removing Mr. Paxton from office. 👨⚖️🗳️
So, what da articles of impeachment say? 📜👀
Da committee wen’ file 20 articles of impeachment against Mr. Paxton on Thursday. As dey was being handed out around da House chamber, Andrew Murr, da chairman of da committee an’ a Republican, wen’ say dat they described “grave offenses.” 🏛️🔍
Da articles charge Mr. Paxton with all kine bad stuffs including taking bribes, disregarding his official duty, obstructing justice in one separate securities fraud case dat still going against him, making false statements on official documents an’ reports, an’ abusing da public trust. ⚖️🤥
Plenny of da charges related to da different ways dat Mr. Paxton had used his office fo’ help Mr. Paul, da committee wen’ say, an’ then fire those in da office who wen’ talk against his actions. 🔥📚
Da articles also accuse Mr. Paxton of benefiting “from Nate Paul’s employment of one wahine with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair,” and of getting in da middle of one lawsuit filed against Mr. Paul’s companies by da Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation, one Austin nonprofit group. 💔💼
What odda legal problems stay facing Mr. Paxton? ⚖️🔍
One federal investigation, opened ’cause of da workers’ complaints ’bout corruption an’ retaliation, still no result in any charges. But Mr. Paxton has been under criminal indictment fo’ most of his time as da state’s attorney general.
In 2015, his first year in dat office, Mr. Paxton was charged with felonies related to securities fraud an’ booked in one county jail outside Dallas. Da charges came from accusations dat Mr. Paxton had fooled investors an’ clients — like, by not telling investors dat he would make one commission on their investment — while doing securities work in da years before he became attorney general. 🚔💼
He has denied doing any wrong in da case, which has yet to go to trial. 🙅♂️⚖️
Dis week’s articles of impeachment accused da attorney general of obstruction of justice in dat case, alleging dat one lawsuit, which was filed by one donor to Mr. Paxton’s campaign, wen’ make da trial delay. 📜⌛
What going happen next? 🤷♂️🔮
Da chairman of da committee investigating Mr. Paxton said he plan fo’ introduce da impeachment resolution fo’ a House vote on Saturday at 1 p.m. ⏰🗳️
An impeachment would mean dat Mr. Paxton would be temporarily removed from office pending one trial on da charges in da State Senate, where some of his closest allies, including his wife, would serve as jurors. Da Senate proceedings could well be delayed until afta da regular legislative session, which ends on Monday. Da Senate could come back to hold da trial afta, though da timing stay kinda shaky. ⚖️🏛️
One lawyer from Mr. Paxton’s office, Christopher Hilton, has said dat da committee’s process in issuing da articles of impeachment had been “completely lacking,” an’ dat da issues raised had been fully aired during Mr. Paxton’s successful re-election campaign last year. 🗣️⚖️
In what looked like one preview of one possible legal challenge to da proceedings, Mr. Hilton also said dat Texas law allowed impeachment only for conduct since da last election. Most of da accusations in da articles of impeachment involve conduct dat occurred before then. 📜📅
NOW IN ENGLISH
📰🌵 Final Hours Before the Impeachment Vote for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: Here’s the Full Picture
The Texas House is prepared to vote this Saturday on the impeachment of Mr. Paxton, after many years of official complaints and a series of court cases involving the three-term attorney general. 🏛️🤠
The Republican party, which has significant control over the Texas House, scheduled a vote on the impeachment of the state’s Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, for this Saturday at 1 p.m. ⏰
The vote is set to occur just two days after a bipartisan committee of representatives predominantly made up of Republicans but also including some Democrats, recommended that Mr. Paxton should be impeached for potential criminal activities. 🏛️🤔
This attorney general has been dealing with various legal issues for years, enduring multiple investigations but facing no substantial political problems. On Friday, Mr. Paxton once again denied any wrongdoings and invited his supporters to make a “peaceful” demonstration during the impeachment vote at the State Capitol. 🕊️🗣️
So, who is Ken Paxton? 🕵️♂️
Before becoming the attorney general in 2015, Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr. worked as a lawyer and state legislator, serving in both the State House and Senate. His wife, Angela Paxton, also carved out a political career for herself and won a seat in the State Senate in 2018. 💺🏛️
As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Mr. Paxton has positioned himself as a champion of the social issues that resonate with Texas conservatives, effectively becoming the state’s leading culture-warrior. His aggressive style has caused some Republicans to distance themselves from him, even though voters have remained loyal. 🤠💪
Mr. Paxton enjoys the endorsement of former president Donald J. Trump and has used his office to challenge the results of the 2020 election. He’s also been at the forefront of numerous legal challenges to actions by the Biden administration and has led Republican states’ efforts to challenge the president’s attempts to ease restrictions on immigration at the U.S. southern border. 🗳️🌎
Voters re-elected Mr. Paxton for a third term by a wide margin in November. 🗳️🎉
So, what accusations triggered the House’s investigation? 🕵️♀️🔍
In 2020, several senior members of Mr. Paxton’s office wrote a letter requesting an investigation into their boss’s actions. The workers accused Mr. Paxton of using his office to assist Nate Paul, who was a friend of the attorney general and a political donor. 💰🔍
Mr. Paul, a wealthy real estate investor in Austin, had reached out to Mr. Paxton after his home and offices were raided by federal agents in 2019. Against the strong objections of his staff, Mr. Paxton approved a state investigation into the F.B.I.’s actions. He appointed an outside lawyer, claiming to be a special prosecutor, even though investigators for the House committee claimed that he lacked prosecutorial experience. F.B.I. officials remained silent on their investigation. 🏠🕵️♂️
At the time, Mr. Paxton stated that he had not been motivated by a desire to protect a political donor or to abuse his office, “nor will I ever.” 🙅♂️🔒
In their 2020 letter, Mr. Paxton’s workers accused him of bribery, abuse of office, and other “potential criminal offenses.” Four of these workers also reported their concerns to the F.B.I. and Texas Rangers. 🔍🚔
Based on the legal documents in the case, these four workers also reported their concerns to the attorney general’s office; within weeks, all were fired. The workers filed a lawsuit afterward, accusing Mr. Paxton of retaliating against them. 🔨⚖️
As the case proceeded, Mr. Paxton’s office released a 374-page report stating, “A.G. Paxton committed no crime.” He also contested the lawsuit, but a Texas court of appeals ruled against him. In February, Mr. Paxton agreed to pay $3.3 million in a settlement with the four former senior aides. 💵👥
So how did all of this lead to the possibility of impeachment? 🤔📜
Questions about how to finance the settlement led to further investigation into the 2020 accusations.
Mr. Paxton requested the Texas Legislature to provide the money to pay the $3.3 million. Dade Phelan, the Republican House speaker, who is considered a traditional conservative, did not support this use of state funds. A House investigation into the accusations began to gather information about the funding request, according to Mr. Phelan’s spokeswoman. 💰🗂️
Many of the investigators’ findings about Mr. Paxton were already known publicly, stemming from the allegations in the workers’ lawsuit. But the House committee vote on Thursday marked the first official judgement on these accusations: They were, the lawmakers stated, sufficient to initiate the process of removing Mr. Paxton from office. 👨⚖️🗳️
So, what do the articles of impeachment say? 📜👀
The committee filed 20 articles of impeachment against Mr. Paxton on Thursday. As they were being distributed around the House chamber, Andrew Murr, the committee’s chairman and a Republican, said that they described “grave offenses.” 🏛️🔍
The articles charge Mr. Paxton with various serious violations including accepting bribes, disregarding his official duty, obstructing justice in a separate securities fraud case still ongoing against him, making false statements on official documents and reports, and breaching the public trust. ⚖️🤥
Many of the charges relate to the different ways that Mr. Paxton used his office to assist Mr. Paul, the committee stated, and then fired those in the office who spoke against his actions. 🔥📚
The articles also accuse Mr. Paxton of benefiting “from Nate Paul’s employment of a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair,” and of intervening in a lawsuit filed against Mr. Paul’s companies by the Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation, an Austin nonprofit group. 💔💼
What other legal problems is Mr. Paxton facing? ⚖️🔍
A federal investigation, initiated due to the workers’ complaints about corruption and retaliation, has not yet resulted in any charges. However, Mr. Paxton has been under criminal indictment for most of his tenure as the state’s attorney general.
In 2015, his first year in office, Mr. Paxton was charged with felonies related to securities fraud and booked in a county jail outside Dallas. The charges stemmed from allegations that Mr. Paxton had misled investors and clients, such as by failing to disclose that he would receive a commission on their investment, while conducting securities work in the years prior to becoming attorney general. 🚔💼
He has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which has yet to go to trial. 🙅♂️⚖️
This week’s articles of impeachment accused the attorney general of obstruction of justice in that case, alleging that a lawsuit, which was filed by a donor to Mr. Paxton’s campaign, caused a delay in the trial. 📜⌛
What happens next? 🤷♂️🔮
The chairman of the committee investigating Mr. Paxton has said he plans to introduce the impeachment resolution for a House vote on Saturday at 1 p.m. ⏰🗳️
If impeached, Mr. Paxton would be temporarily removed from office pending a trial on the charges in the State Senate, where some of his closest allies, including his wife, would serve as jurors. The Senate proceedings could potentially be delayed until after the regular legislative session, which ends on Monday. The Senate could reconvene to hold the trial later, though the timing is uncertain. ⚖️🏛️
A lawyer from Mr. Paxton’s office, Christopher Hilton, has stated that the committee’s process in issuing the articles of impeachment was “completely lacking,” and that the issues raised had been fully discussed during Mr. Paxton’s successful re-election campaign last year. 🗣️⚖️
In what appeared to be a preview of a potential legal challenge to the proceedings, Mr. Hilton also stated that Texas law allows impeachment only for conduct since the last election. Most of the accusations in the articles of impeachment involve conduct that occurred before then. 📜📅
