“This is a dark day for Texas,” said Speaker of the House Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont). “We have impeached our highest law enforcement officer for his own corrupt behavior.”
Paxton, who has served as Attorney General since 2015, faces seven articles of impeachment, including allegations that he misused state resources to help wealthy donors and bribed a subordinate to ignore wrongdoing.
“This is a political witch hunt,” Paxton said in a statement following the impeachment vote. “I will not resign, and I will fight these charges until I am vindicated.”
The impeachment proceedings stem from a 2020 whistleblower complaint alleging that Paxton had accepted bribes from a real estate developer in exchange for favorable legal treatment. A subsequent investigation by the Texas Rangers and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office substantiated some of the allegations.
“The evidence against Attorney General Paxton is overwhelming,” said Representative Chris Turner (D-Arlington), one of the lead sponsors of the impeachment resolution. “He has betrayed the public trust and must be held accountable.”
The impeachment resolution will now go to the Texas Senate, which will hold a trial and vote on whether to remove Paxton from office. If convicted, Paxton would become the first statewide elected official in Texas to be removed by impeachment.
The impeachment has sparked a public outcry and further polarized Texas politics. Some supporters of Paxton have protested outside the Capitol, while critics have called for his resignation.
“The impeachment of Attorney General Paxton shows that no one is above the law,” said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. “We must restore integrity to our state government.”
The impeachment trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks and could last for several months. It is being closely watched as a test of the rule of law and the ability of elected officials to hold their own accountable.
