Apparently Paxton's antics sickened even a chunk of the Texas GOP. He will get tried in the Texas Senate. Until then he's suspended.
A lot of background etc. here: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-impeached-texas-attorney-general/#:~:text=Defying a last-minute appeal,bribery and abuse of office. My take? "Git th' rope, Clem."
They're mad because he (a) had to settle with some fired employees for millions and (b) he wants the state to pay it. They've been letting this guy slide for years without doing anything, now this. The chances that he is removed are not good. There are 31 voting members in the Senate (19 Republicans and 12 Democrats). It is not at all clear they have the votes to remove him (needing, by my count, 21 of 31). This might be a way for Texas Republicans to get this issue out of the way for the 2024 elections. Impeach, acquit, done. Next!
Timing is an issue here, with the Texas legislature wrapping up in a few days. This might take awhile.
I wonder. Given that the GOP controls the Texas House, if the Party didn't mean it they wouldn't have impeached him.
Of course, there's merit to that. But the House and Senate are two different places. Plus, the bar is a lot higher there. (Although the vote to impeach in the House was pretty huge!) This is a microcosm of the battle royale that is brewing in the GOP writ large.
It WAS huge and now allegedly Paxton is calling state senators and threatening political consequences if they vote to convict. I can't imagine a more efficient way of getting convicted.
