# Ken Paxton, Texas AG, facing impeachment from fellow Republicans (is impeached on May 27, 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 26, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608 "2023-05-26T01:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/221 "2023-09-21T20:38:17Z")
It’s a Texas statute — but not in the Constitution — that states, “Each member of the Senate shall be in attendance when the senate is meeting as a court of impeachment.” The Constitution says that it takes 2/3 of Senators “present” to convict. The rules the Senate adopted for this trial affirmed that all Senators must attend and will be counted toward the 2/3 requirement, although Angela Paxton would not be allowed to debate or vote. Honestly, this seems like the most reasonable way to handle the situation given the requirements of the Constitution and statute. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/222 "2023-09-21T20:39:38Z")
Given how much of the rest of it was kangaroo theater, this is probably the only bit of the entire impeachment process start to finish that was done in a way that passes the laugh test, much less legal challenge on the merits. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/223 "2023-09-22T13:35:05Z")
I’m confuddled. On the one hand, I was encouraged when Texas _Republican_ Representatives pushed to impeach him, and laid out 16 counts (plus another 4 not voted on). I mean, if they just wanted to get him out because he was going to cost taxpayers’ money, they could have picked 1 or 2 most egregious. But they went all in. I hoped that signaled that there were some Repubs with a sliver of shame over the corruptuon Paxton has been flaunting. But I’m also totally not surprised the Senate Republicans have no honor or decency, and pretty much acquitted as a Party function. After watching the US Senate through _2_ Impeachments on Trump with the same level of dedication to the truth and the best interests of the American people, how could Texas do any differently? Now Patrick demonstrates just how impartial a jurist he was, by calling on the Texas State Auditor to calculate how much money was “wasted” on the impeachment. Hey Shitbrain, it was only a waste because of turds like you guaranteed to acquit before the trial began. An actual trial wouldn’t be a waste regardless of outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/224 "2023-09-22T20:36:43Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > points to numerous democratic reps who left rather than vote on issues, calling in ‘sick’, doing a short speech about 'avoiding the appearance of propriety and _choosing_ to not show up, and on and on and on- Are you saying Democratic Senators neglected their Texan Constitutional duty and were not present for the trial? Because if not, then this is a complete strawman not applicable to the issue being discussed. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/225 "2023-09-22T20:39:39Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > As I understand it, even though she’s not allowed to vote, she’s counted as “present” for the vote tally. So, essentially another “no” vote whether she actually votes that way or not. Let’s assume she is a no vote anyways. Again like I asked Parallel Lines - what would you have them do? Violate the Texas Constitution? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/226 "2023-09-22T20:55:46Z")
You are being pointlessly obtuse @Saint_Cad - I was referring to when the Texas Representatives walked out rather than participate against their better judgment on earlier legislation. > **[What it means to break quorum and what you need to know about the Texas House...](https://www.texastribune.org/2021/07/14/texas-democrats-walkout-quorum/)** > > Democrats are preventing the Texas House from having enough members to pass legislation. We explain what that means, what options Republicans have and what’s in the voting bills Democrats oppose. You know, another technically ‘illegal’ action they took out a sense of moral duty? Which, while again technically against the rules, showed a degree of moral stiffness that I wish Paxton’s spouse had embraced? However, since all you want to focus on is an unspeakably narrow judgement on legality rather than the “appearance of impartial judgement” which I have made clear was my POINT and explicitly stated, I don’t think we have anything to argue about. You keep harping away on the legal, and refuse to address that point. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/227 "2023-09-22T21:05:51Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I was referring to when the Texas Representatives walked out rather than participate against their better judgment on earlier legislation. So what does that have to do with being Constitutionally obligated to attend the trial? If you think she shouldn’t have then you are advocating for the Texas Republicans to violate the Texas Constitution which is a strange position to take on this Board. So that’s the question you are not answering. Are you saying she should have violated the Constitution by not attending the trial? Yes or no? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/228 "2023-09-22T21:18:45Z")
I’ll give my response once you address my point. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/229 "2023-09-22T21:59:25Z")
Nah, not playing that game with you. Just interesting that you are actually advocating for the Texas Republicans to violate their Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/230 "2023-09-22T22:02:43Z")
My point was it seems kind of stupid to not let her vote, yet her non-vote still carries weight. It’s not that I want them to do something unconstitutional, just pointing out that it’s a dumb-ass rule to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/231 "2023-09-22T22:05:25Z")
I don’t disagree with you, but as long as she has to be present and that’s effectively a no vote, at least it’s better optics to have her not vote. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/232 "2023-09-22T23:01:17Z")
Uh huh. I in each and every post made it clear that I was putting the spirit of the law, as well as a centuries long tradition of impartial judgement as being more important than the letter of the law, while SIMULTANEOUSLY giving ways to give a fig leaf to said letter, and yet I’M the one playing games. And you won’t, for -reasons- address the moral and ethical issues, instead desperately clinging to some adherence to the law despite all ethical contradictions in such position. We have plenty of posters who will excuse any action, no matter how abhorrent, as fine as long as it is legal or was legal at the time. I thought better of you. But while I think your arguments are flawed and your manner of arguing in this thread has been dishonest, it’s better to let other voices carry the day, so I’ll respect your wishes and no longer respond to you here. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/233 "2023-09-23T12:50:46Z")
**Moderating:** **Modnote** : This is getting too personal. “I thought better of you.” & “manner of arguing in this thread has been dishonest,” Please avoid posts like this in P&E. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/234 "2023-09-23T14:33:40Z")
I mean, she had to sit in public, on TV, having people watch her while she listened to her husband’s mistress testify. Its not at all clear to me that she would have chosen to be there, if she felt she had a choice. I cannot even imagine how angry Id be at a man who put me in such a position. And she may well be a horrible person, and Im not losing sleep over this, but I do feel like that is an especially awful thing to ask of your life partner. I agree the situation is all kinds of fucked up, but compared to the general fucked-up-ed-ness of Paxton, who, in any respectable timeline is a moderately successful used car salesman, it hardly registers. ---
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/235 "2023-09-29T14:12:09Z")
> **Hidden by What Exit?** > > > [@Irishman](#): > > > > I’m confuddled. On the one hand, I was encouraged when Texas _Republican_ Representatives pushed to impeach him, and laid out 16 counts (plus another 4 not voted on). I mean, if they just wanted to get him out because he was going to cost taxpayers’ money, they could have picked 1 or 2 most egregious. But they went all in. I hoped that signaled that there were some Repubs with a sliver of shame over the corruptuon Paxton has been flaunting. > > I had hoped, in another time and place, that there were a few Democrats with some “sliver of shame” over the clearly illegal acts that Bill Clinton committed. > > Both of us were disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/236 "2023-09-29T14:18:38Z")
---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608/237 "2023-09-29T14:19:37Z")
**Moderating:** This is off-topic and looks like an attempt to hijack the thread with a non-related and decades old tangent. Do not do this again. Hiding off-topic post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-paxton-texas-ag-facing-impeachment-from-fellow-republicans-is-impeached-on-may-27-2023/984608.md?page=11)