I only watched some of the case, but the root of it seemed to be there were two referrals to the Texas DA, but a group of top attorneys there only knew about one of them.
It looked like Paxton was corrupt by issuing subpoenas to banks based on the second referral, so next day they get together as a cabal and refer it to the feds instead of asking Paxton about it and finding out it was a nothingburger. FBI opened an investigation but didn't do anything because there was no crime, so I guess the cabal took it to impeachment because they couldn't admit they were in the wrong.
Also some people telling telephone-game type gossip that turned out to be false.
Basically, Ken Paxton was a populist, Trump supporting AG that went hard against Obamacare, Voting Irregularities, Border issues, Transgender issues, etc. The Bush dynasty tried to destroy him for that.
A donor to Paxton was targeted by a Federal Investigation which the donor said was unlawful and engaging in serious misconduct. His donor's argument was that these illegal actions taken against him were in violation of federal law, and he couldn't do anything about them in federal court because of political bias; so he asked that Ken, being the Attorney General, ask to investigate this as violations of Texas law.
Paxton then assigned a Texas Ranger to look into the case, as well as a couple of attorneys. In response the Ranger decided that investigating the FBI was wholly unethical and was, in and of itself, evidence of misconduct by Paxton. The attorney's assigned to the case then turned around and asserted, actually without evidence, that Paxton had been bribed to prevent the FBI investigation into his donor.
In response, Paxton fires them, and Bush allies fund them pro-bono. They then file suit against Paxton in an Austin court (see: Alex Jones). Paxton is being sued in his official duties, and so the state government has to pay for that; but since the state government is filled with Bush-cronies, they try to deny him funds to defend himself in his official capacity as AG. In the middle of this, Paxton also mentions that he is going to start investigating Pfizer's distribution of the injection, and if there was any fraud or misconduct in that. The Texas House proceed to impeach him a week later.
I don't exactly trust Republicans, but if I were Texan I'd find it hard not to vote for Paxton after this. I'm worried they are too "purple" though and the media would destroy his chances.
Paxton is undoubtedly the most popular statewide elected official in Texas. Regardless of any personal failings or potential (minor) corruption he has aggressively pursued cases for the benefit of the people of Texas (and by extension on many of those, the US as a whole). I just hope that his political ambitions don't end up with him in a position where he becomes less effective (which almost any "promotion" would do.) He should stay AG forever unless he can get appointed to the Supreme Court or maybe a US Circuit.
Anyone wanna give a quick rundown on what this is?
I only watched some of the case, but the root of it seemed to be there were two referrals to the Texas DA, but a group of top attorneys there only knew about one of them.
It looked like Paxton was corrupt by issuing subpoenas to banks based on the second referral, so next day they get together as a cabal and refer it to the feds instead of asking Paxton about it and finding out it was a nothingburger. FBI opened an investigation but didn't do anything because there was no crime, so I guess the cabal took it to impeachment because they couldn't admit they were in the wrong.
Also some people telling telephone-game type gossip that turned out to be false.
Viva Frei & Robert Barnes go over it here.
Basically, Ken Paxton was a populist, Trump supporting AG that went hard against Obamacare, Voting Irregularities, Border issues, Transgender issues, etc. The Bush dynasty tried to destroy him for that.
A donor to Paxton was targeted by a Federal Investigation which the donor said was unlawful and engaging in serious misconduct. His donor's argument was that these illegal actions taken against him were in violation of federal law, and he couldn't do anything about them in federal court because of political bias; so he asked that Ken, being the Attorney General, ask to investigate this as violations of Texas law.
Paxton then assigned a Texas Ranger to look into the case, as well as a couple of attorneys. In response the Ranger decided that investigating the FBI was wholly unethical and was, in and of itself, evidence of misconduct by Paxton. The attorney's assigned to the case then turned around and asserted, actually without evidence, that Paxton had been bribed to prevent the FBI investigation into his donor.
In response, Paxton fires them, and Bush allies fund them pro-bono. They then file suit against Paxton in an Austin court (see: Alex Jones). Paxton is being sued in his official duties, and so the state government has to pay for that; but since the state government is filled with Bush-cronies, they try to deny him funds to defend himself in his official capacity as AG. In the middle of this, Paxton also mentions that he is going to start investigating Pfizer's distribution of the injection, and if there was any fraud or misconduct in that. The Texas House proceed to impeach him a week later.
I don't exactly trust Republicans, but if I were Texan I'd find it hard not to vote for Paxton after this. I'm worried they are too "purple" though and the media would destroy his chances.
Paxton is undoubtedly the most popular statewide elected official in Texas. Regardless of any personal failings or potential (minor) corruption he has aggressively pursued cases for the benefit of the people of Texas (and by extension on many of those, the US as a whole). I just hope that his political ambitions don't end up with him in a position where he becomes less effective (which almost any "promotion" would do.) He should stay AG forever unless he can get appointed to the Supreme Court or maybe a US Circuit.
I don't trust Republicans either, and it is because the Bush dynasty must be destroyed.
Thanks for that. Crazy how every level of government is absolutely infested