In a flurry of tweets on a Saturday morning, the former president took to social media to voice his frustration over the impeachment proceedings targeting his political ally, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Using his preferred platform, the former president shared a video on his newly launched social media platform, Truth Social, highlighting a moment of Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s speech where he appeared to stumble over his words. Paxton had previously accused Phelan of being intoxicated during his time leading the legislature and demanded his resignation.
Accompanied by a caption asking, “What is happening to our country?” the former president questioned the impeachment of a recently re-elected Attorney General who he believed had done an outstanding job. This public display of disapproval only further intensified the already heated political climate surrounding the impeachment process.
The Texas House of Representatives, voting 121-23, moved forward with the impeachment of the Republican state attorney general. If the Texas Senate follows suit and votes to remove Paxton from office, his permanent removal will be imminent. However, until the Senate trial concludes, he will temporarily step down from his position.
In response to the House vote, Paxton, a steadfast supporter of the former president, released a lengthy statement denouncing the impeachment as an unlawful and politically motivated act. Paxton labeled the entire process a conspiracy and accused Phelan and the Murr-Johnson panel of misleading the public with their comments and lies. Despite his office’s efforts to present evidence and facts, Paxton claimed they were disregarded in pursuit of their desired outcome. This left him feeling disrespected, not only by the process but also by the representatives who had shown a lack of regard for the law and the people they represent.
Prior to the vote, Paxton had already labeled Phelan as a “liberal” seeking to disenfranchise Texas voters and undermine his work as Attorney General. Earlier in the week, a committee comprised mostly of Republicans had accepted all 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton. The charges against him ranged from allegations of covering up an affair, abusing his position for personal gain, to creating a hostile work environment filled with fear and retaliation.
Paxton’s tenure as Texas Attorney General has been marred by long-standing corruption accusations, including a felony security fraud indictment in 2015 that remains unresolved. Despite these controversies, he has managed to establish himself as a prominent conservative legal figure and a vocal critic of the Biden administration, largely avoiding significant consequences.
While Paxton expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of his impeachment in the state House, he expressed confidence in the fairness and justice of the Senate process. Although there is currently insufficient support for conviction in the state Senate, the possibility of a trial looms, keeping the outcome uncertain.