Map of how area representatives voted on Paxton’s impeachment/Base map via the State of Texas
Earlier this afternoon, the Texas House of Representatives voted 121 to 23 to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Among the 23 who voted against impeaching Paxton were Amarillo representatives Four Price of Potter County and John Smithee of Randall County.
Smithee was the first speaker during the opening arguments against impeachment, though he focused his opposition on the process. “I’m not here today to tell you that General Paxton should not be impeached. That’s not why I’m here. Bottom line is I don’t know whether he should or not because I don’t have the evidence before me to make that determination.” Specifically, he argued that the house “has always applied a higher standard to these proceedings than it has to a typical grand jury.”
Ken King of Canadian was the only representative from the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle region to vote in favor of the impeachment, though he was joined by both Dustin Burrows and Carl Tepper of Lubbock, as well as James Frank of Wichita Falls. Representatives from Abilene, San Angelo, and Odessa each also voted for impeachment, though Tom Craddick of Midland voted against.
The vote came just days after the House General Investigations Committee recommended 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton, including charges of bribery, disregard of official duty, misapplication of public resources, obstruction of justice, false statements, conspiracy, dereliction of duty, unfitness for office, and abuse of public trust.
In a statement reacting to the impeachment, Paxton criticized House Speaker Phelan and his “coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans” as being “in lockstep with the Biden Administration, the abortion industry, anti-gun zealots, and woke corporations.”
Per the state constitution, Paxton is temporarily suspended from office pending a trial in the Texas Senate, though there is no deadline set by law for when the trial must take place. In the meantime, Governor Greg Abbott may appoint a replacement.
While many Republicans in the Texas House voted with Democrats to impeach Paxton, many other Republicans and conservatives have expressed support for Paxton, including Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi, United States Senator Ted Cruz, and 45th United States President Donald Trump.