A quick followup to this article about an impeachment hearing for indicted and (future) convicted criminal (probably), Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas.
Welp, after a marathon nearly 4-hour hearing, he was formally impeached by a vote of 121-23, with three members absent. A LOT of Republicans voted to impeach, y'all.
The Texas Tribune did an amazing job live reporting on the entire day.
The impeachment vote "temporarily remov[es] him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office...Attention next shifts to the Texas Senate, which will conduct a trial with senators acting as jurors and designated House members presenting their case as impeachment managers. Permanently removing Paxton from office and barring him from holding future elected office in Texas would require the support of two-thirds of senators."
In a totally shocking twist early on in the hearing, it was reported that Paxton "called several lawmakers and threatened them with political consequences if they voted for his impeachment."
Rep. Geren said, “I would like to point out that several members of this House while on the floor of this House, doing the state business, received telephone calls from general Paxton personally, threatening them with political consequences in their next election."
BONKERS. That is straight up bonkers.
Paxton is temporarily removed from office pending the Senate hearing.
