Here is what you need to know about Ken Paxton impeachment, Lubbock lawmaker response

The Texas House of Representatives — including both of Lubbock's Republican representatives — voted to impeach Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton on Saturday, which comes nearly 46 years after Texas impeached its last government official — District Judge O.P. Carrillo.

This historic vote comes after a Texas House of Representatives committee unanimously voted on recommending 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton, earlier in the week.

Here is a quick look at how the articles were introduced to the House and what local lawmakers say about the impeachment vote.

Timeline of impeachment Texas AG Ken Paxton events:

February — According to the Austin American-Statesmen, Paxton testified in front of the House appropriations subcommittee to ask for $3.3 million in taxpayer money to be allocated to settle the AG's whistleblower settlement.

Days before testifying, the Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan, criticized the AG for asking the House for money to settle the lawsuit.

March — The House Committee for General Investigating admitted in a May public hearing this week that the committee opened its investigation into the AG in early March.

May 23 — AG calls for Phelan to resign over alleged drunkenness while presiding over House the night before.

Hours later, the GI Committee announced its public hearing on "Matter A," with it being presumed to be the committee's investigation into the AG.

The committee, according to the committee minutes, unanimously authorized "John Doe #6" and the Office of the Attorney General to be subpoenaed and also instructed the AG's office to cease the destruction of information related to the case.

Later that day, the AG's office was an alleged victim of arson as one of the dumpsters was set aflame. According to Scott Braddock on Twitter, the dumpster contained "lots of paper."

May 24 — After hearing the investigator's testimony in a public hearing and convening into an executive session, no action was taken.

May 25 — The committee met again, issuing more letters of preservation to other state departments related to "Matter A" and also unanimously adopted 20 articles of impeachment against the AG.

May 26 — The AG held a press conference denouncing the articles of impeachment.

May 27 at 1 p.m. — House Resolution 2377 — the 20 articles of impeachment — was called to the House floor for consideration.

Four hours of debate ensued which ultimately led the House to vote to impeach Paxton on 20 articles of impeachment with 121 reps voting for and 23 voting against.

Both Rep. Carl Tepper and Rep. Dustin Burrows voted in favor of impeachment, according to the House record voting sheet.

According to house rules, Patxon is immediately suspended from office as the Senate conducts a trial and will need a two-thirds vote for the AG to be convicted.

It is not clear at this time when the Senate will convene the trial as the regular session of the 88th Session comes to an end on Monday, May 29.

What are local lawmakers saying?

Within an hour of the House's vote, Burrows issued a statement via Twitter, explaining his yes vote.

The statement read as follows:

"Today, following a nearly three month investigation of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the House General Investigating Committee presented a resolution to the full body of the Texas House calling for his impeachment. My vote in support of the resolution is a decision that has weighed very heavily upon me and the members of the Texas House, and I can assure you it is one I did not take lightly.

Impeachment is not the same as a conviction. It simply says I have been presented with enough evidence that I believe the issues need to be tried by a jury, which in this case is the Texas Senate.

It should not get lost in the noise that this is a direct result of the Attorney General asking the legislature in March of this year for $3.3 million of taxpayer money to pay a wrongful termination settlement. This demand came without the necessary supporting information and Texans deserve a closer look by the legislature.

In the case of Paxton, the facts presented are serious and the laws that were allegedly broken serious enough to warrant his removal from office. The allegations, (which everyone I know believes to be true), suggest a pattern of him selling the power of his office for personal gain, including the issuing of subpoenas for someone who employed his mistress. Is this the conduct and character that Texans deserve as their representation?

This was undeniably an important vote and one I did not anticipate having to take. I know Paxton personally, and have applauded many of the things he has done in office; however, I also know that the ends do not always justify the means, and these allegations need to be sorted out. If he is innocent, then he will have a chance to prove his innocence.

At the end of the day, what matters most to me is that Texas continues to be regarded as a state that refuses to tolerate corruption and stands for the highest level of transparency, accountability, and integrity in every public office."

Rep. Carl Tepper also released a statement via Twitter and to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

The statement reads as follows:

"Today, I voted to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I’ve done my research, heard arguments for and against this matter, and reviewed correspondence my office received from constituents of House District 84. Upon much thought, prayer, and reflection, this is a decision with which I am comfortable.

Although Mr. Paxton has done a tremendous job as Texas Attorney General, no one individual––regardless of one's political affiliation––is above the law. We must continue to preserve and honor the rule of law, even when doing so may be unpopular. I voted to impeach Mr. Paxton not because I believe he is guilty of the allegations brought against him but because I believe enough evidence exists for the Texas Senate to conduct a trial on the allegations. I am confident that my colleagues in the Texas Senate will conduct a fair and honest trial during which each allegation against Mr. Paxton is carefully considered and debated.

As previously established by the Texas Supreme Court, the purpose of impeachment is not to punish a public official but to protect the state. My vote today ensures we hold Mr. Paxton accountable for the allegations brought against him while ensuring he has the opportunity to address such allegations in a trial. I will continue to pray for Mr. Paxton, his family, and my colleagues in the Texas Senate as they consider this matter. I look forward to holding multiple town halls during the interim with constituents of House District 84 to hear any thoughts they would like to share. My door is always open."

Days leading up to the House's impeachment vote Sen. Charles Perry and Rep. Burrows, both Lubbock Republicans, did not issue a formal statement or said anything on social media

However, Rep. Carl Tepper, another Lubbock Republican, did take to Twitter, saying that he listened to hearings and said the "witnesses seemed quite credible and testimony damning."

"Of course, the AG deserves a defense but that doesn’t happen until the trial. In this case that’ll be in the senate if the impeach resolution prevails," Tepper's message continues. "We’ll take this seriously."

Of note, according to 2022 election data from Perry's Senate District 28 — which includes major cities such as Lubbock, San Angelo, Abilene and areas around Wichita Falls — 75.2% of the voters voted for Paxton. Paxton won his third term with 53.4% of the statewide vote.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Takeaways Ken Paxton possible impeachment, Lubbock lawmaker response