'Uphold the public trust': El Paso legislators explain vote to impeach Texas AG Ken Paxton

El Paso's members of the statehouse delegation said they see the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton as a solemn step to secure the integrity of elected office ‒ a process in which there is no room for partisanship.

The Texas House of Representatives' vote to impeach Paxton sent shockwaves through the state Capitol and sets the stage for a historic trial in the Texas Senate later this summer.

The 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton mostly stem from allegations connected to his relationship with Austin real estate investor Nate Paul. Paxton received thousands from Paul for his 2018 campaign and subsequently intervened on his behalf when Paul was facing an FBI investigation.

Additionally, Paxton's own 2015 federal securities fraud indictment was cited in the impeachment articles.

House members voted overwhelmingly, 121-23, for Paxton's impeachment. Both Republicans and Democrats ultimately came together to impeach Paxton, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump.

On Monday, the Senate created a seven-member committee to propose rules for the impeachment process by June 20. No trial date has been set, but senators have agreed to hold the trial no later than Aug. 28.

El Paso legislators cast ballots to impeach Paxton on Saturday. State Sen. César Blanco will have a front-row seat for the trial in the Senate.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday appointed John Scott of Fort Worth, a former Texas secretary of state, as the interim attorney general.

Scott will serve a temporary period while the Texas Senate completes its impeachment proceedings.

House members detail the road to Paxton impeachment

State Rep. Mary González, D-El Paso, of District 75 took to Twitter after the House members cast their votes and recalled that Paxton requested $3.3 million to pay a settlement with former staff.

"There were no questions answered about why he had to pay this settlement," she tweeted. "The Appropriations subcommittee (which I chair) did specifically ask about the case, and received no answers.

More: Texas AG Ken Paxton whistleblowers triggered his impeachment. But will they get paid?

"After a months-long investigation, the General Investigating Committee found that he abused his office with charges including bribery, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy," she continued. "Because of this, they have recommended articles of impeachment."

Still, González was solemn about voting to impeach the embattled attorney general.

"The vote was about accountability and upholding the oath of office," she tweeted. "It is something that I took no pleasure in. These are serious charges, and we treated them as such."

State Rep. Eddie Morales, D-Eagle Pass, of District 74 shared a similar sentiment, saying in a statement that the "decision to support this impeachment is not one taken lightly and not reflective of partisan politics ... This vote to impeach was about upholding the public trust and maintaining credibility for our democratic institutions."

In his statement, Morales also laid out the following allegations levied against Paxton in the 20 articles:

• 7 counts of disregard of official duty

• 3 counts of false statements in official records

• 2 counts of misapplication of public resources

• 2 counts of constitutional bribery

• 2 counts of obstruction of justice

• 1 count of conspiracy or attempted conspiracy

• 1 count of dereliction of duty

• 1 count of unfitness for office

• 1 count of abuse of public trust.

"Voting to impeach Attorney General Paxton is about preserving the integrity of our elected officials," Morales said in the statement. "The Texas House did our job to uphold our oaths of office and I have full confidence the Senate will do their part and conduct a fair trial."

State Rep. Lina Ortega, D-El Paso, of District 77 likewise issued a statement following the House's vote and praised the House General Investigating Committee, which recommended the articles of impeachment against Paxton.

“Ultimately, I agreed with the committee’s recommendation that Attorney General Paxton’s criminal actions are incompatible with serving as the state’s chief legal officer and I made the serious decision to vote in favor of impeachment," Ortega said in the statement. "Attorney General Paxton is unfit for public office and his continued service is damaging to the State of Texas.”

State Rep. Claudia Ordaz, D-El Paso, of District 79, issued the following statement:

"The bipartisan Texas House General Investigating Committee did a thorough job in its review of the facts, many of which were previously unknown to the public," she said. "There was enough compelling evidence for me to feel confident in my support of the motion to impeach."

Like her colleagues, Ordaz also commented on the somber nature of the vote and its historic implications.

"I did not take my decision lightly," she stated. "This is a sad day in the history of Texas. For the Texas House to feel compelled to vote to impeach an elected official, an action taken only twice in our state's history, reflects severe and grave circumstances. As elected officials, we must hold ourselves to the highest standard and act in the best interests of our constituents. I continue to pray for all involved and ask God to provide the best outcome for our state."

State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, of District 78, will be among the 12 House managers tasked with presenting the case for impeachment during the Texas Senate trial. He focused his comments on what comes next.

“It would be inappropriate to comment on the case itself before its resolution,” Moody said. “But what I can say is that I intend to approach it ethically, diligently, and professionally, allowing the evidence ‒ not partisanship ‒ to dictate the process. Chairman (Andrew) Murr, Vice Chair (Ann) Johnson, and the rest of the House managers are people of impeccable character who I’m confident will do the same.”

'Oath of impartiality'

With senators acting as de facto judges in Paxton's trial, most are saying very little about the impending trial ‒ and Blanco is no different.

Blanco tweeted: "Earlier this week, the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. The matter will now come to the Texas Senate for trial."

"As a member of the Texas Senate, I will have to take an Oath of Impartiality and cannot make comments regarding the trial," he continued. "My duty is to follow the constitution, consider the evidence presented, and honor our sworn oaths."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso legislators react to Texas AG Ken Paxton impeachment vote