One thing about Texas, they don't hide their corruption like some states do. It's all out there in the open for everybody to see. Rachel Maddow with her report on a Texas Tribune story that appeared late last week. As they wrote, “Patrick has previously received financial support from the PAC, including $100,000 in donations during his reelection campaign last year. But the latest burst of money is far more than that and comes as all eyes are on his front-and-center role in the impeachment trial.”
All eyes indeed.
And who are Defend Texas Liberty PAC? "Defend Texas Liberty is primarily funded by longtime far-right megadonors Tim Dunn and the Wilks family." More billionaires trying to usurp democracy for their own ends. In many countries this would land them in prison. Here, it's all perfectly legal.
Source: Texas Tribune
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, received $3 million in campaign support last month from a top group campaigning against Paxton’s impeachment.
In a campaign-finance report published Tuesday, Patrick — who is not up for reelection until 2026 — reported a $1 million contribution and a $2 million loan from Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The political action committee was by far his biggest benefactor on the report, which covered Patrick’s fundraising from June 19-30. It was the first opportunity state officials had to fundraise since the House impeached Paxton in late May.
Patrick’s Senate has scheduled a trial to begin Sept. 5 to determine whether to permanently remove Paxton from office. Patrick has been acting as presiding officer of the trial — effectively the judge — and the fundraising period partially overlapped with the Senate’s deliberations over the trial rules. The chamber approved the rules June 21.
The news of the PAC's financial support came the day after Patrick followed through on a requirement in the rules and issued a sweeping gag order on all parties involved in the trial.
Pretty decent payoff for a gag order but there's probably more to come on Paxton's behalf.
