'Worth every penny': AG Paxton impeachment cost more than $4 million

The impeachment proceedings for embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton, which resulted in his acquittal earlier this year on 20 charges including bribery and abuse of office, will cost Texas taxpayers more than $4 million, according to recently released state House records.

Initiating the impeachment inquiry in March after Paxton sought $3.3 million from House budget writers to pay for a whistleblower settlement agreement with his former top aides, the chamber spent more than $3.7 million to investigate the ex-employees' corruption allegations against the attorney general and refer the matter for an impeachment trial in the Senate.

The bulk of the expenditures, roughly $3.5 million, went toward legal fees for the many lawyers who prosecuted the House's case, including-high profile leading attorneys Rusty Hardin and Dick DeGuerin.

Becoming a political rallying cry for Paxton in the trial's aftermath, the overall cost has drawn condemnation from Paxton's supporters and from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Senate's leader and the impeachment trial's presiding officer, who has been outspoken in his opposition to the effort.

In a statement Thursday, House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, defended his chamber's bipartisan decision in May to impeach Paxton, arguing that the attorney general's unwillingness to testify before the House about his former top aides' wrongful termination lawsuit against him and the case's settlement spurred the chamber's investigation into the whistleblowers' complaints.

"The investigation, impeachment and trial of Ken Paxton shed a clear, unflinching light on who Paxton is and the lengths to which he will go to stay in power," Phelan said. "The Texas House will continue to faithfully fulfill its obligation to protect the integrity of our institutions and safeguard the public's trust."

Patrick, also in a statement Thursday, said the House's expenses were "far higher" than those incurred by the Senate, which he said amounted to roughly $435,000, including the printing costs for the trial's record.

Patrick had previously sent a letter to State Auditor Lisa Collier asking her office to conduct a special audit to determine the total cost of the proceedings.

The records detailing the House expenditures released Wednesday are the most expansive to date, and the total cost is expected to rise as additional invoices and expenses are accounted for.

"Now it is clear that the Senate protected taxpayer money while Dade Phelan and the House spent like drunken sailors on shore leave," Patrick said. "The House's high-priced army of lawyers could not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and failed miserably at Texas taxpayers' expense."

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Leading the House General Investigating Committee through the impeachment inquiry, Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, said the costs were "worth every penny" in working to uphold the integrity of elected office in Texas.

"This was not merely a legal proceeding; it was a reaffirmation of our commitment to transparency and accountability in governance," Murr, who announced in November that he would not seek reelection, said in a statement. "In a state where the rule of law is held in high esteem, ensuring that our leaders are held to the highest ethical standards is not just a necessity, but a duty."

Responding to the impeachment costs Thursday, Paxton railed against Phelan and House members who voted for his ouster in the waning days of the legislative session in May.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Paxton said. "Whether it's the House costs, Senate costs or the overall impeachment session costs, many millions more were incurred on Dade Phelan's sham and needless impeachment."

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During the trial, prosecutors attempted to show the connection between Paxton and former Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, a friend and campaign donor to the attorney general who was recently indicted for financial crimes, and the efforts Paxtonmade to assist Paul in receiving favorable legal help as the businessman faced foreclosures for some of his investment properties.

Testifying to actions they perceived to be abuses of power, several former high-ranking and hand-selected deputies of Paxton's took the witness stand against their former boss before the Republican-dominated Senate acquitted him of 16 charges and dismissed four additional charges tied to an ongoing securities fraud case, which is set for trial in April.

Since the trial, Paxton has been active in using his revamped political power to retaliate against House members who supported his removal, releasing a stream of candidate endorsements for those challenging the incumbents who voted to impeach him.

On Friday, Paxton released 14 additional endorsements for candidates seeking election to the Texas House.

Paxton has also beaten the drum against Phelan on a nearly daily basis in the months since the impeachment trial in September, asking voters to reject Phelan's reelection and speakership.

"Voters need to send Dade and any representative supporting Dade home in the upcoming primaries," Paxton said.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: AG Paxton's impeachment cost more than $4 million, records show