'Everything's on the table': 3 takeaways from Ken Paxton's interview with Tucker Carlson

In the first public appearance since his impeachment acquittal on Saturday, Attorney General Ken Paxton railed against the Texas House for impeaching him, hinted at a possible run for a new elected office and affirmed his excitement to continue work as the state's top law enforcement officer.

During an interview recorded Tuesday with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Paxton went after U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, for not being vocal enough about the conditions at the Texas-Mexico border and said that after his acquittal "everything is on the table."

Here are a few takeaways from Carlson's roughly 45-minute interview with Paxton that was released Wednesday evening on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.

More: Not guilty: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton acquitted in impeachment trial

Challenging Cornyn

Paxton did not hold back when Carlson asked him directly if he would run for the Senate seat Cornyn has held since being elected in 2002.

"To me, he's been in Washington too long," Paxton told Carlson, saying that in his post-impeachment political life the door for another future office remains open.

Paxton said he hopes someone will challenge Cornyn in the 2026 election cycle, making the argument to Carlson that a lack of competitive candidates for the position has allowed the state's senior senator to remain in office over the years.

Accusing Cornyn of neglecting the issue of immigration along the border as the senator dedicates attention to the war between Ukraine and Russia, Paxton charged Cornyn of being more concerned with national politics and staying in favor in Washington than in pursuing the interests of his home state.

"I wonder to myself, like, what would he point to that he's done for our state?" Paxton said.

Meanwhile, as he attacked Cornyn's record, Paxton was complimentary of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his focus on the border.

More: Trump wants credit for Paxton acquittal as Texas Republicans feud after impeachment trial

When Carlson asked whether Paxton would be willing to run against Cornyn, he responded that it remains a real possibility.

"Hey, look, everything's on the table for me now that I've been through this," Paxton said.

'Reenergized'

Paxton confided in Carlson that it was "horrible" being held back from contributing to ongoing litigation in the attorney general's office upon his suspension in May.

Saying that he hasn't set foot in the office since the House voted in bipartisan fashion to impeach him, Paxton discussed his continued interest in the state's lawsuit against Google for online privacy violations along with pursuing issues related to alleged voter fraud.

"I am so excited to go back," Paxton told Carlson. "I've been thinking about what I want to do when I get back since the day I left."

Paxton, who won his third term as attorney general last November, specifically pushed against the use of mail-in ballots during his conversation with Carlson, continuing the debunked accusation that the malicious use of mail-in ballots caused former President Donald Trump to lose the 2020 election.

Additionally, Paxton went on to say that he expects an update later this week on a lawsuit related to COVID-19 vaccines in which Paxton's office is arguing that vaccine manufacturers used deceptive trade practices while introducing vaccines during the pandemic.

"I became, I think, a target of big pharma, big tech, and obviously the Biden administration," Paxton said of his perceived fallout from the ongoing litigation.

Biden, Phelan and the Texas House

Paxton took the opportunity during Carlson's interview to swing at House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, accusing the lower chamber's leader of colluding with House Democrats and Democratic President Joe Biden to have him removed from office.

Paxton, who said he did not know the House was pursuing impeachment until the charges that he abused the power of his office became public in a committee hearing in May, and he blamed Phelan for taking directives from House Democrats, saying he allowed the minority to control the chamber with a Republican supermajority.

More: Sen. Sarah Eckhardt slams Lt. Gov. Patrick's performance in Ken Paxton impeachment trial

Talking about the impeachment process, Paxton also complained about the lead-up to the trial in which he faced 16 articles of impeachment, saying that a gag order mandated by Senate trial rules put him at an unfair disadvantage to defend himself.

"I felt like I was two hands tied behind my back," Paxton said.

Paxton also pushed back on claims made by impeachment prosecutors during the trial that he has adverse feelings toward law enforcement after investigations into his own conduct in an ongoing securities fraud case.

For the first time since the trial, Paxton denied accusations that he became skeptical and distrustful of law enforcement based on a state securities case in which Paxton is said to have defrauded investors in a Dallas-area tech startup.

During the trial, a backdoor investigation into federal and state law enforcement agencies sought by Paxton played a major role in prompting the question of his trust and respect for law enforcement agencies.

"That is not true; I'm against corrupt law enforcement, I'm not against law enforcement," Paxton said. "I believe in law enforcement."

On Thursday, Paxton is scheduled to continue his post-impeachment press tour with several radio interviews planned with conservative radio hosts in Texas.

Paxton is scheduled for interviews at; 7:30 a.m. with KSEV on 700 AM, 8 a.m. with Glenn Beck on Beck's website, 8:30 a.m. with Michael Berry on KTRH 740 AM and 9:05 with the Mark Davis show on 660 AM.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 3 things to know from Texas AG Ken Paxton interview with Tucker Carlson