BRYAN, Texas — On Saturday, Sept. 17, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment against him by the Texas Senate, after heavy discussion over the past two weeks.
In order for Paxton to be impeached, 21 out of the 30 state senators had to vote to approve an impeachment on one or more of the articles. However, the highest vote reached was 14 out of 30 willing to impeach.
Now, several state representatives have weighed in on the conclusion of the trial and the result that came from it.
State Representative Charles "Doc" Anderson, who represents Texas' 56th District, which covers much of McLennan County, informed 6 News that he was one of the "no" votes to move forward with impeachment, in his words, because "the process was rushed."
6 News also received statements from several other state officials about the decision to acquit Paxton.
Kyle Kacal, who represents parts of the Brazos Valley, sent a statement to 6 News.
"On Saturday, the Texas Senate voted to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton on all articles of impeachment. Thank you to Lt. Gov. Patrick for conducting a transparent trial in full view of the people of Texas and seeing this constitutional process all the way through. We can now turn our focus to the upcoming special session where we will take on the debate on education and work to finally deliver on teacher pay raises."
A statement was also received from the office of State Senator Lois Kolkhorst, who was one of the 30 people voting on the articles of impeachment.
"After months of preparation and testimony, today the Senate of Texas voted to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton. The 10-day trial and the months leading up to it reflect the serious constitutional duty by which the Senate approached this matter. It is an honor to serve with my fellow senators during these deliberations and the many hours spent scouring the evidence presented. This case was difficult and the highest vote any legislator will ever take. In the end, the House Managers did not meet the heavy burden of proof, which in this case is 'beyond a reasonable doubt.' My decision was reached after careful consideration and review of all evidence and witness testimony. It is my sincere hope that elected officials at every level of government can learn from this event and from the actions leading up to it. This experience should be a stark reminder of the respect we must all hold for the fragile bond between the government and the governed. Precedent matters. Ethics matter. Truth matters," said Kolkhorst.
Paxton's legal troubles are far from over though. There's still an ongoing federal investigation into Paxton's dealings with the 2020 election and security fraud charges.
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