The Paxton impeachment is really quite simple:
Paxton wanted his office to investigate claims by Nate Paul that the FBI, Texas law enforcement, and federal judges (at least the one who issued the search warrant Paul claimed was changed by the FBI after it was issued), were all conspiring against him (Paul has since been indicted for fraud. It’s an interesting question why the Texas AG was trying to protect him.). Paxton’s staff listened to the presentation Paul and his lawyers made and decided Paul was nuts. Since they wouldn’t take up the investigation, Paxton hired a lawyer (on contract), to be paid by the AG’s office, to do the investigation.
When the staff found out this guy had gotten some 50 subpoenas issued, in the name of the Texas AG, they went to the issuing (state) judge and got them quashed. The very next day, Paxton found out, and tried to get them reinstated. Too late for that, the following day he fired the staff members responsible and later, I think, fired some others who took their concerns over Paxton’s relationship with Paul to law enforcement (FBI? Texas? Both?)
That led to the lawsuit Paxton agreed to settle for $3.3 million, which is where the Texas House balked and started an impeachment investigation.
The details of Paxton’s relationship with Paul flesh out the story: the mistress of Paxton for whom he got a job with Paul; the Dallas home renovation with the $10,000.00 countertop paid for by Paul (as were the rest of the renovations); all the work done for Paul by the contract lawyer paid for by the AG’s office. All of that is additional and damning.
What it really comes down to is the arrogance of Paxton submitting a bill for his actions to be paid by the State of Texas. And insisting now he’s being railroaded.
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