Texas AG Declares War After Impeachment Fails: 'Buckle Up'
After a widely publicized impeachment attempt against him failed miserably, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had two words for his opponents: “Buckle up.”
According to ABC News, Paxton was acquitted Friday on all of the 16 articles brought before the Texas Senate in an impeachment trial brought by the Texas House, which suspended him in May.
The charges dealt with allegations of corruption, obstruction, bribery and other abuses of office that were related to the FBI’s investigation of a real-estate developer who was also one of the GOP attorney general’s donors.
Both Paxton and the developer, Natin “Nate” Paul, have denied accusations of bribery, with Paxton calling the impeachment articles a “sham” by a weak GOP Texas House. Paul’s trial is set to begin next summer.
While the GOP-led House was able to obtain an impeachment, things were markedly different in the Senate: Not only did the state Senate, which acted as the jury, not reach the supermajority of 21 out of 30 votes necessary to convict on any single one of the articles, they couldn’t even get a simple majority to vote for conviction on any of them.
In addition, the senators voted to dismiss four other impeachment charges that were supposed to be deliberated upon at a later date.
“Today, the truth prevailed,” Paxton said in a statement. “The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors. I’ve said many times: Seek the truth! And that is what was accomplished.”
He went on to say that “[t]he sham impeachment coordinated by the Biden Administration with liberal House Speaker Dade Phelan and his kangaroo court has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, disrupted the work of the Office of the Attorney General and left a dark and permanent stain on the Texas House.
“The weaponization of the impeachment process to settle political differences is not only wrong, it is immoral and corrupt,” Paxton continued.
“Now that this shameful process is over, my work to defend our constitutional rights will resume. Thank you to everyone who has stood with me during this time.”
Then, he sent a message straight to Washington, D.C.:
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) September 16, 2023
“Finally, I can promise the Biden Administration the following: buckle up because your lawless policies will not go unchallenged,” Paxton’s statement read.
“We will not allow you to shred the constitution and infringe on the rights of Texans. You will be held accountable.”
He added that he would “next address the nation and Texas on Tucker Carlson next week. Now it is back to work!”
One of Paxton’s attorneys, Tony Buzbee, also accused the president and the administration of political meddling in the case during closing arguments.
“If you don’t think that the Biden administration and its FBI and Department of Justice would not love, would not love to indict Ken Paxton, then you’re not paying attention. They’ve done nothing. You know why they’ve done nothing? Because there’s nothing to do,” he said, according to ABC News.
Paxton has taken the lead in several lawsuits and legal challenges against the current administration, including on gun control issues and the White House’s spending sprees.
Even prior to Biden’s entry into the White House, Paxton was best known for spearheading the myriad legal challenges against Obamacare from the states, particularly in regard to the individual mandate clause of the legislation.
If there was some hope at 1600 Pennsylvania that this trial would discredit Paxton, even if the likelihood of conviction was minimal, that doesn’t seem to have been the case.
Not only that, he appears ready to spring back into action against the Beltway swamp with more vigor than ever before.
Buckle up, indeed, Mr. President.
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