Impeachment trial starts for Texas attorney general

Ken Paxton pleaded not guilty to 16 articles of impeachment on Tuesday. The Texas House of Representatives in May voted to impeach Paxton on charges of bribery, abuse of office, and misleading officials. His trial started Tuesday in the state Senate. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is serving as the presiding judge in the case, ruled that Paxton will not be forced to testify. The attorney general was absent from afternoon proceedings after entering his plea.

What has Paxton said about the trial? Paxton called the impeachment politically motivated. His attorneys argued that his actions largely aligned with his official duties or were not impeachable offenses. A majority vote by the state senators is required to convict Paxton. All 12 Senate Democrats on the jury are expected to vote yes. The Senate banned Paxton’s wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, from voting.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Jackson’s report in Relations about Paxton’s defense of a Texas attempt to protect minors from medical attempts to change their sex traits.