Texas Senate refuses all of Paxton’s attempts to throw out impeachment charges

The Texas Senate on Tuesday swatted down all of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempts to throw out the articles of impeachment against him, the Texas Tribune reports.

The rejection of the pretrial motions on the first day of Paxton’s Senate trial sets the stage for him to be tried on articles of impeachment that include allegations of abuse of office, bribery, obstruction of justice and dereliction of duty. The two dozen pretrial motions required a majority vote in the GOP-controlled Senate to pass.

However, the most support any received was from 10 out of the Senate’s total of 30 lawmakers, the Tribune reports. As many as a dozen of Paxton’s fellow Republicans joined all 12 Democrats in rejecting some of the motions.

Six Republicans voted in support of Paxton on all motions, according to the Tribune. Those included Donna Campbell of New Braunfels, Paul Bettencourt of Houston, Brandon Creighton of Conroe, Bob Hall of Edgewood, Lois Kolkorst of Brenham and Tan Parker of Flower Mound.

The Texas House earlier this summer voted 121-23 to suspend Paxton and refer him to the Senate for trial. The House is also under Republican control.

If the Texas Senate votes to convict Paxton, he will be the state’s first statewide official to be removed from office since Gov. James “Pa” Ferguson in 1917. Removal would require a two-thirds vote by the body.

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This article appears in Aug 23 – Sep 5, 2023.