Year in review • Paxton impeached
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been indicted on federal securities fraud charges since before he was elected to the AG’s office and is under investigation by the FBI, this was year impeached in a bipartisan effort by the Texas House of Representatives.
Lesbian state Rep. Ann Johnson (D-Houston) served as one of the floor managers. Lawmakers voted 121-23 to impeach Paxton on 20 articles of impeachment — including bribery, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice.
Charges were brought against the AG after he pushed to have the state pay $3.3 million to settle a lawsuit filed by whistleblowers who claim Paxton fired them in retaliation after they went to the U.S.
Department of Justice in 2020 with concerns regarding Paxton’s potential abuse of public office. Investigators told the committee, during a public hearing on May 24, that Paxton had probably violated the law and that the settlement was his attempt to avoid having to testify during a trial and turn over certain evidence.
