Ken Paxton impeachment trial: What is the Texas attorney general accused of doing?

After nearly two weeks of testimony, Texas senators will deliberate in the historic impeachment trial of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who could be barred from office on charges of bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust.

A two-thirds vote is needed for conviction, meaning 21 of the chamber’s 31 members. Nineteen are Republicans, including Paxton’s wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, who was seated for the trial but will not be allowed to vote.

WHO IS TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON?

Paxton, a Republican, was elected as attorney general in 2014 and took office in 2015. He’s in his third term, which he won with 53.4% of votes.

Paxton has been among former President Donald Trump’s top allies in Texas and was endorsed by Trump in his most recent election.

Before serving as attorney general, Paxton served in the Texas House for a decade and in the Texas Senate for about two years, representing parts of Collin and Dallas counties.

He and Sen. Angela Paxton, his wife, are from McKinney and have four children.

As attorney general, Paxton has more than 4,000 employees. The office represents Texas in legal matters, handles rulings on open records requests, oversees the collection of court-ordered child support and handles the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.

The House in May voted 121-23 to impeach Paxton and send 20 articles to the Senate for a trial.

He is suspended from the office.

Paxton graduated from Baylor University and received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He and his family are members of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano.

WHAT ARE THE IMPEACHMENT CHARGES AGAINST KEN PAXTON?

Paxton is facing 20 articles of impeachment, which include charges of disregard of official duty, making false statements in public records, constitutional bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and attempted conspiracy, misapplication of public resources, dereliction of duty, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust.

Most relate to allegations that he misused his office to give Austin real estate developer Nate Paul legal help. Paul was providing favors like home renovations and a job for Paxton’s mistress, according to the articles.

Now former employers reported Paxton to the FBI for aiding Paul in 2020 and filed a lawsuit claiming they were retaliated against for whistleblowing.

Four articles stem from Paxton’s long-standing legal trouble that resulted in 2015 federal indictments, but they are being held in abeyance, per Senate rules, so evidence on the articles isn’t expected to come up. Paxton’s attorneys have maintained the articles pending against him are unfounded.

HAVE THERE BEEN IMPEACHMENTS OF OTHER TEXAS OFFICIALS?

In Texas, three officials have been impeached and two were removed from office after impeachment — Governor James Ferguson (D) in 1917 and State District Judge O.P. Carillo in 1975.

WHO IS LAURA OLSON, ALLEGED TO HAVE AFFAIR WITH KEN PAXTON?

At the heart of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent troubles is that he used his office to help a political donor — Austin real estate investor Nate Paul — in exchange for allegedly helping the attorney general remodel his home and giving Paxton’s mistress a job in his company.

According to thedailybeast.com, “Paxton reportedly acknowledged the affair with the woman, who worked as an aide to a Texas state senator, to his staff in 2018 and said he had ended it.”

Paul has denied that his hiring of the woman was as a favor to Paxton.

Resignations of seven senior members of Paxton’s staff followed, accusing their boss of accepting bribes and abusing his office. Others were fired. Four of his former employees filed suit, arguing that Paxton and his agency improperly retaliated against them.

A $3.3 million settlement was reached earlier this year.

“Each of these four men is a conservative Republican civil servant,” investigator Erin Epley told the House committee. “Interviews show that they wanted to be loyal ... and they tried to advise him well and strongly. When that failed, each was fired after reporting General Paxton to law enforcement.”

On Wednesday afternoon after attorneys for House impeachment managers said they intended to call Olson as a witness, the Senate was told by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that Olson was “deemed unavailable” to take the stand, without elaborating.