Historic proceedings that could see the attorney general in Texas being ousted from office over allegations of corruption will begin in the state’s Senate on Tuesday.
Thirty-one senators, the majority of them Republicans, will act as a jury. They will hear evidence and ultimately vote on whether Ken Paxton should become the third official in Texas history to be impeached and removed from office.
The trial in the Senate follows a vote by the Texas House of Representatives – which is also controlled by Mr Paxton’s fellow Republicans – that he should be impeached.
Mr Paxton’s wife, Angela, is a state senator in Texas, although she will be barred from voting in the trial.
The Paxton controversy has highlighted divisions within the Republican Party in Texas. In advance of the Senate trial, conservative activists have bought up TV airtime and paid for advertising billboards to encourage senators to acquit Mr Paxton, who has been a strong backer of former president Donald Trump. Mr Paxton addressed the crowd at the former president’s rally in Washington on January 6th, 2021, that preceded the attack on the Capitol building by supporters of Mr Trump.
The impeachment process has been attacked by Steve Bannon, Mr Trump’s former top aide in the White House, but has been supported by Rick Perry, the former Texas governor, and Karl Rove, the political consultant to former president George W Bush.
Mr Paxton has been suspended from his duties as attorney general since the House of Representatives in Texas voted to impeach him on 20 articles including bribery and abuse of public trust. He has denied any wrongdoing and maintained that the impeachment process is politically motivated.
At the centre of the allegations is Mr Paxton’s relationship with a donor, wealthy property developer Nate Paul. In 2020, a number of Mr Paxton’s aides published a letter accusing him of abuse of office, bribery and improper influence relating to his links with Mr Paul.
Four of the former staff members later sued the attorney general’s office, claiming they had been sacked in violation of the state’s whistleblower law.
In February, Mr Paxton agreed to a $3.3 million settlement without admitting any fault, which he asked Texas politicians to agree to fund.
Critics allege that Mr Paxton used the power of his office in an attempt to shield Mr Paul from legal difficulties. Mr Paul was indicted in June on federal criminal charges that he made false statements to banks to get more than $170 million in loans. He has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Paul allegedly employed a woman with whom Mr Paxton was having an affair. Impeachment prosecutors also maintain that Mr Paul funded renovations to one of Mr Paxton’s homes.
There is also a federal investigation under way into links between Mr Paxton and Mr Paul.
