HOUSTON — Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented Ken Paxton in his impeachment trial, said he knew there wasn't enough evidence to convict the attorney general even before hearing from one witness or seeing any evidence.
"The witnesses crumbled. They admitted they had no evidence," he said during an interview with KHOU 11's Len Cannon on Monday, two days after Paxton was acquitted.
Buzbee said it was clear from the beginning that there wasn't enough proof to convict Paxton on any of the 16 articles of impeachment brought against him.
"We spent three months hearing about Ken Paxton and all the bad things he had done in the press. But when push came to shove, as it should be in any court, when the witnesses showed up, and they were cross-examined, we realized that they didn't have a case," Buzbee said.
Buzbee wouldn't say why Paxton's alleged mistress, Laura Olson, didn't take the stand during the trial.
"All I can tell you is that she was declared unavailable," he said.
Buzbee went on to say that he's not sure how much he would charge for defending Paxton.
"I haven't even calculated my cost at this moment in time. I haven't put together a bill. I've been focused on other things as you might expect," he said.
He also said Paxton would likely be the person to pay for the services.
"I expect Ken Paxton will pay my bill. That was my client," Buzbee said.