Ken Paxton and defense of the rule of law and the Texas Constitution: Rick Perry

The rule of law used to mean something for Republicans.

I’m not just talking about law and order, although it means that too.

I’m talking about confidence in — and standing for — our state and federal constitutions, and the safeguards and freedoms they provide. Those sacred promises are what our men and women in uniform have laid down their lives to protect and what our elected officials swear an oath to uphold.

That’s why it’s shocking to see some Republicans — through a coordinated, paid effort of texts, emails and even social media influencer posts — working to delegitimize the impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton, a constitutionally guided process that exists to ensure fairness for both Texas voters and their elected officials.

To me, that’s what’s really at stake. Do we trust the processes outlined in our constitution, or not?

Now, as a sitting governor who was once wrongly indicted, I fully understand some processes can be abused. But that’s not what I see here.

I see leaders in the majority of House Republicans who voted to impeach Paxton, as authorized in the Texas Constitution. Those members saw the allegations against a fellow Republican and felt they deserved a full investigation and trial. They followed their oath to uphold the Constitution, and that alone warrants careful consideration by the Senate. Instead of vilifying them for doing their job, we should be praising them for carrying out their responsibility.

I see leaders in the Texas Senate, which is constitutionally authorized to act as jurors in the upcoming trial. Only the Senate can give these allegations the full and fair trial they deserve, and it would be a disservice to the state not to fulfill that obligation. By moving forward with the trial, the Senate will both do its duty and answer voters’ legitimate questions about the allegations against Paxton.

And, finally, I see leaders in the conservative attorneys who worked hand-in-hand with Ken Paxton in his trusted inner circle. These credible, high-ranking Attorney General’s Office whistleblowers felt duty-bound to report what they witnessed, after they had advised the attorney general that his actions were illegal or unethical.

I’ve spent my adult life working at almost every level of public service, and it continues to hold true that you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. And by all accounts, the people around Ken Paxton were outstanding, principled conservatives. For them to have felt the honorable obligation to stand up for the rule of law and take the monumental step of reporting his actions to law enforcement cannot — and should not — be understated.

I can tell you firsthand those staffing decisions are not made lightly.

Throughout my time in office, I hired and worked directly with dozens of men and women who served on my senior staff. These were my political hires — people I hand-picked to stand by me in the trenches because I trusted them explicitly. And while we may not have always agreed, not once in nearly four decades did they give earnest, well-founded counsel — for or against something — without good reason.

Choosing to disregard the good counsel of your inner circle is a red flag. It shows bad judgment in a leader. But bad judgment alone isn’t impeachable — unless it involves breaking the law or abuse of office. And that is what we all want to discover through this trial.

Texans need a conclusive resolution — once and for all — to the serious allegations raised by this impeachment. We’ve come this far in the process, and it’s critical that the Senate sees it through to the end. That means a fair trial that allows both sides to lay out all the facts and gives senators the opportunity to vote based on the evidence.

Everyone who swears an oath to serve their fellow Texans must understand they will be held to a higher standard, particularly if you are serving as our state’s top law enforcement official.

Let’s show the rest of the country that the rule of law is the standard for both political parties, not one over the other.

Rick Perry is former governor of Texas.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Ken Paxton and defense of the rule of law in Texas: Rick Perry