Ken Paxton.Photo:Eleanor Dearman/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty
Eleanor Dearman/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty
The Texas state Senate voted to acquit Republican Attorney GeneralKen Paxtonon all 16 articles of impeachment, allowing him to remain in office.
The vote came on Saturday following a two-week trial and a day of deliberating. All but two of the 18 Republican senators in the vote — not including Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, who was not allowed to vote — voted to acquit Paxton, 60, on all 16 impeachment articles, per theAssociated Press. The attorney general was not present for the verdict.
He did, however, issue a statement viaXfollowing his acquittal. “Today, the truth prevailed. I’ve said many times: Seek the truth! And this was what was accomplished,” Paxton said in part.
No article received more than 14 votes to convict Paxton, of which 21 votes were required to do so, according to theTexas Tribune.
“The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just,” Paxton said at the time, perNBC News. “It was a politically motivated sham from the beginning.”
Ken Paxton.Drew Angerer/Getty
Drew Angerer/Getty
Paxton’s case advanced to the state Senate for trial — which began on Sept. 5 — to determine whether he would be ousted from office. Closing arguments were presented Friday.
To convict Paxton, the state Senate — composed of 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats — needed to secure a two-thirds vote. Though barred from voting, Sen. Angela Paxton was still required to attend, adding an extra barrier to conviction.
Paxton’s impeachment in May came after hefaced numerous impeachment countsthat included bribery andsecurities fraud chargesdating back to 2015, the year he took office. Paxton was accused of convincing investors to buy shares in a startup, without disclosing that he would receive compensation.
Former First Assistant Attorney General of Texas gives testimony during the former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial on September 06.Brandon Bell/Getty
Brandon Bell/Getty
source: people.com
