The Texas Senate convened for only the third time in the state’s history to weigh impeachment charges against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Senators are considering whether to convict Paxton on sixteen articles of impeachment sent up by the Texas House of Representatives. House managers called a series of witnesses trying to prove that Mr. Paxon abused his office and engaged in corrupt practices. Twenty-one senators are required to convict the suspended attorney general and bar him from holding public office in the future.

Why did the Texas Senate narrow the articles of impeachment from twenty to sixteen?

Instructors: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Download: CQP_Lecture_Spark_PPT_Impeachment Trial in Texas Enters Second Week

Videos

News Articles

Political warnings and accusations of misconduct: 6 main themes emerge in first week of Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial

Texas Tribune

9/9/23

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/09/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-main-themes/

 

Texas AG Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial is about halfway done. This is what happened and what’s next

Associated Press

9/8/23

https://apnews.com/article/paxton-impeachment-trial-texas-0c7b4ff2244b6750325977fd71fc5c65

 

Ken Paxton impeachment trial: Day 4 takeaways

CBS News

9/8/23

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-day-4-takeaways/

 

Former Texas Ranger, OAG director warned AG Ken Paxton he was risking indictment

NBC DFW

9/8/23

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-day-4-former-texas-ranger-oag-director-warned-attorney-general-he-was-risking-indictment/3332968/

 

The biggest revelations from Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial so far

Texas Public Radio

9/8/23

https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2023-09-08/the-biggest-revelations-from-ken-paxtons-impeachment-trial-so-far

 

The National Implications Of Impeaching Texas’ Attorney General

National Public Radio

9/6/23

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/06/1197846176/the-national-implications-of-impeaching-texas-attorney-general

 

Ken Paxton: Why Republicans are impeaching a Trump ally in Texas

BBC

8/4/23

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66722742

 

In Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, normally loquacious senators must sit silent as jurors

Corpus Christi Caller Times

8/9/23

https://www.caller.com/story/news/columnists/john-moritz/2023/09/09/the-ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-forces-senators-to-keep-mum-as-jurors/70794390007/

Assessment

Writing: Explain why Texas Republicans have previously supported AG Paxton despite his legal troubles. Why did the Texas House pursue impeachment in this session?

Debate: Would removing Attorney General Paxton from office be subverting the last election?

Poll: Will Ken Paxton be removed from office?

Short Answer: Why do some analysts interpret the vote on the motions to dismiss as potentially troublesome for the attorney general?

News Quiz

True/False

Attorney General Paxton is allowed to stay on the job during the impeachment proceeding. (T/F)

Senator Angela Paxton is AG Paxton’s wife and has been present at the impeachment trial, though she will not be allowed to vote. (T/F)

The impeachment managers have emphasized the conservative credentials of the witnesses against AG Paxton. (T/F)

Multiple Choice

How many Republicans are in the Texas Senate?

1. 19
2. 21
3. 24
4. 31

What is Lt. Governor Patrick’s role in the impeachment?

1. voting member of the senate
2. chief prosecutor
3. presiding officer
4. chief defender

Ken Paxton is accused of

1. receiving personal favors from a political ally.
2. using burner phones and a fake ride share account to hide an affair.
3. interfering with an FBI investigation on behalf of Nate Paul.
4. all of these.