Members of the newly-appointed Texas House impeachment board of managers delivered to the Texas Senate on Monday the articles of impeachment against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The House overwhelmingly voted to impeach Paxton on Saturday by a vote of 121-23 after the GOP-led House General Investigating Committee bought forth last week 20 articles of impeachment including bribery and abuse of public trust. The resolution came after a two-month investigation that began after the general asked the state legislature to use state funds to settle a $3.3 million lawsuit with former employees.
After the House’s vote Saturday, Paxton was immediately suspended.
Speaker Dade Phelan on Monday appointed 12 representatives, including seven Republicans and five Democrats, to the board. After the representatives were named, they walked across the Capitol and presented the articles of impeachment to the Texas Senate.
The impeachment board will present the case to Senators who will serve as jurors and will ultimately decide if Paxton should be removed from office. Two-thirds of the Senate must agree with the House’s prosecutors to permanently remove Paxton from office.
Phelan named state Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction) and state Rep. Ann Johnson (D-Houston), who are the chair and vice chair of the House General Investigating Committee, as chair and vice chair of the board of managers.
The other 10 managers are Reps. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth); Joe Moody (D-El Paso); Terry Canales (D-Edinburg); Jeff Leach (R-Plano); Oscar Longoria (D-Mission); Morgan Meyer (R-University Park); Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park); Cody Vasut (R-Angleton); David Spiller (R-Jacksboro); and Erin Gamez (D-Brownsville).
Moody, who chairs the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, released a statement Monday afternoon.
“It would be inappropriate to comment on the case itself before its resolution,” said Moody. “But what I can say is that I intend to approach it ethically, diligently, and professionally, allowing the evidence—not partisanship—to dictate the process. Chairman Murr, Vice Chair Johnson, and the rest of the House managers are people of impeccable character who I’m confident will do the same.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who will serve as the judge in the trial, has not yet set a date for the trial to begin.
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