Rewrite this story from the perspective of a hardcore conservative outlet.

The Texas House of Representatives has voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, an unprecedented move following a legislative probe that faulted the third-term Republican for a yearslong pattern of corruption, including abusing his office’s powers, retaliating against whistleblowers and obstructing justice.

Under state law, Paxton is now temporarily suspended from his duties as attorney general and will await a Senate trial.

The vote was 121-23, with two members voting “present.”

“The evidence is substantial. It is alarming and unnerving,” said GOP Rep. Andrew Murr, chair of the General Investigating Committee, during his closing statement following hours of debate. The committee recommended 20 counts of impeachment against Paxton.

Democrat Rep. Harold Dutton was one of the members voting present. He said the impeachment vote had been rushed. “The process by which we’re getting this done seems to be abbreviated to the point that it just encroaches on due process,” said Dutton.

Paxton denied wrongdoing in a Friday news conference, but focused his statements against the impeachment this week on his record as a key opponent of President Joe Biden. Paxton’s office has filed dozens of lawsuits against the Biden administration.

The now-suspended attorney general called the impeachment a “politically motivated sham” in a statement just minutes after the vote.

“The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just,” he said.

Paxton said he was never given a chance to present evidence refuting the findings of an investigation that he abused his office. He has cast House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican who presides over a chamber where his party currently holds 85 seats to Democrats’ 64, as a “liberal.” He continued his attack on Phelan saying, “Phelan’s coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans is now in lockstep with the Biden Administration, the abortion industry, anti-gun zealots, and woke corporations.”

The Office of the Attorney General issued its own “comprehensive report” about the allegations following the impeachment vote, saying it “unequivocally refutes incorrect testimony” against Paxton. The office also released a report it commissioned from an outside law firm, although the report from Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard and Smith LLP notes it is based only on information and testimony provided by the attorney general’s office.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott can appoint a provisional replacement while Paxton is temporarily suspended. Paxton would be reinstated if he is acquitted at his Senate trial.

The impeachment vote had its origins in an investigation launched in March by the General Investigating Committee of the Texas House after Paxton had asked the legislature to approve $3.3 million in government funds to settle a lawsuit with four whistleblowers who were fired from his office.

That investigation led the committee – a five-member panel investigating corruption in state government – to approve 20 articles of impeachment Thursday, setting up the vote in the full House.

During the debate Saturday, Rep. Charlie Geren, who is a Republican, claimed Paxton had threatened fellow House members.

“I would like to point out that several members of this House, while on the floor of this House doing the state’s business, received telephone calls from General Paxton personally threatening them with political consequences in their next election,” Geren said.

Opponents of the impeachment largely declined to address the allegations against him, instead focusing on the investigation leading up to the proceedings. “I don’t think today is about whether there’s guilt or innocence. It’s about the process,” said Rep. Tony Tinderholt.

“I’m not here to defend Ken Paxton,” Rep. John T. Smithee stated on the floor. He went on to say, “What you’re being asked to do today is to impeach without evidence. It is all rumor. It is all innuendo. It is all speculation.”

Paxton’s impeachment is a stunning rebuke of a Republican official in a state where the GOP controls all levers of state government. Voters in Texas shrugged off the swirling scandals around Paxton last year, handing him a third term in November’s election. Paxton had earlier fought off multiple opponents for the GOP nomination, including Bush family scion George P. Bush, the state land commissioner, whom he easily bested in a runoff.

Paxton has long been a controversial figure who has clashed with Texas legislative leadership. A conservative who has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump, he led a lawsuit in 2020 seeking to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.

He retains support within the Texas GOP. In a statement Friday, state party chairman Matt Rinaldi blasted Phelan for what he called a “sham impeachment.”

“The voters have supported General Paxton through three elections – and his popularity has only grown despite millions of dollars spent to try to defeat him. Now the Texas House is trying to overturn the election results,” Rinaldi said, adding that he was looking to the “principled leadership” of the Senate to “restore sanity and reason for our state.”

In Texas, no attorney general has ever been impeached and removed from office. The only two elected officials to lose office as a result of impeachment were Gov. James Ferguson in 1917 and District Judge O.P. Carrillo in 1975.

For Paxton to be removed from office, two-thirds of the Texas Senate’s members who are present will have to vote to convict him. His wife, Angela Paxton, is a state senator representing a Dallas-area district.

It’s not yet clear when the Senate, where Republicans have a 19-12 majority over Democrats, will conduct its trial. The state’s legislative session is scheduled to end Monday.
system
user
texas house of ripregentative ne teesri avadhi ke republican atorni general ken packston ko mahabhiyog lagane ke liye chaunkaa diya he.

logon ne use samay -samay par waapas jane ke baavjood, saathiyon ke ek sangrah ne ab nagarikon kii ichha ko chin liya he.rajya ke kanoon ke tahat, packston ko ab atorni general ke rup main apane kartavyon se asthaayee rup se nilambit kar diya gaya he or ek seenet pareekshan kaa intjaar karegaa.vot 121-23 tha, jisamen do sadsy "vartmaan" matdaan karte the.

isse bhi adhik chaunkaane vaala, yah mukhya rup se texas roodhiwaadiyon kaa ek maamla tha jo apane swayan ke ek kii jaanch kar rahaa tha.saamaanya jaanch samiti ke adhyaksh rape andrew mur, kathith taur par ek republican hai.unki samiti ne packston ke khilaaf mahabhiyog ke 20 maamalon kii sifarish kii.

yahaan tak ki democrate rape. herold daton ko andeh tha.daton upasthit sadasyon main se ek tha.unhone kaha ki mahabhiyog ke vot main bhaag liya gaya tha."jis prakriya se ham ise praapt kar rahe hai, vah is bindu par sankshipt prathit hota he ki yah sirf uchit prakriya par atikaraman karata he," daton ne kaha.

packston ne shuukravaar ke ek samachar sammelan main galat kaam karne se inkaar kiya.unhone raashtrapati jo biden ke pramukh pratidwandvi ke rup main apane record par mahabhiyog ke khilaaf apane bayanon par dhyaan kendrit kiya.packston ke karyaalay ne biden prashasan ke khilaaf darjanon mukademe daayar kiye hai.

ab-nilambit atorni general ne vot ke kuch hi minuton baad ek bayaan main mahabhiyog ko "raajnneetik rup se prerit sham" kaha."texas house main badsoorat tamaasha ne aaj mere khilaaf apmanjanak mahabhiyog kii sajeesh kii pushti kii, kabhi bhi nishpaksh yaa uchit nahin tha," unhone kaha.

is vichaar kaa samarthan karne vaale bahut saare saboot hai ki kaarywahi main dhaandhlee kii gai thi.packston ne kaha ki unhen kabhi bhi ek jaanch ke nishkarshon kaa khandan karte hue saboot pesh karne kaa mauka nahin diya gaya ki unhone apane karyaalay kaa durupyog kiya.packston ne house spikar dead felan ko bataaya he, sambhawatah ek "udaar" he.yah kehete hue, "democrates or libral republican ke felan kaa gathbandhan ab biden prashasan, garbhpaat udyog, anti-gan zealots or voke corporation ke saath lockstep main he."

atorni general ke karyaalay ne mahabhiyog vot ke baad ke aaropon ke bare main apni "vyapak report" jari kii, yah kehete hue ki yah packston ke khilaaf "asmaan rup se galat gavaahi kaa khandan karata he".karyaalay ne ek bahari lau form se ek report bhi jari kii, haalanki louis brisbois bisaguard or smith elelpi noton kii report yah keval atorni general ke karyaalay dwaara pradaan kii gai jaankaree or gavaahi par aadhaarit he.

mahabhiyog vot kii utpatti march main texas house kii general investegating cameti dwaara march main shuru kii gai ek jaanch main hui thi, jab packston ne vidhanmandal ko chaar vislabloar ke saath mukadmaa chalaane ke liye sarkari dhan main $ 3.3 million ko manjuuri dene ke liye kaha tha, jo unke karyaalay se nikaal die gaye the.

mahabhiyog ke virodhiyon ne kaaphi had tak uske khilaaf aaropon ko sambodhit karne se inkaar kar diya, iske bajaay kaarywahi ke liye agrani jaanch par dhyaan kendrit kiya."mujhe nahin lagata ki aaj is bare main he ki kya aparaadh yaa nirdoshta he.yah prakriya ke bare main he, ”rape tony tinderholt ne kaha.

"main yahan ken packston kii raksha karne ke liye nahin hoon," rape. jon tii. smithi ne farsh par kaha.unhone kaha, “aaj aapako jo karne ke liye kaha ja rahaa he vah saboot ke bina mahabhiyog he.yah sab afvaah he.yah sab inuando he.yah sab atakalein hai. ”

kai log madad nahin kar sakate hai, lekin aashcharya he ki kya samay or prayaas yahaan iske laayak tha, uski baari lokapriyata ko dekhte hue.packston ne pehle jiopi namakan ke liye kai virodhiyon se ladaai ladi thi, jisamen bush family scon jorge pi. bush, state land kamishnar shaamil the, jinhen unhone aasaani se ek apvaah main sarvshereshth kiya.

kuch aashcharyachakit ho sakate hai ki kya yah texas vidhaan shakha ke kam lokapriy sadasyon se irshyaa se paidaa hua tha.packston lambey samay se purv raashtrapati donald trump ke saath kareeb he, or 2020 main ek mukadmaa kaa netritv kiya, jo raashtrapati chunaav main jo biden kii jeet ko palatney kii maang kar rahaa tha.

matadaataaon ke saath kii tarah, packston tru texas jiopi netaaon ke ucchtam rank ke bheetar bahut samarthan rakhata he.shuukravaar ko ek bayaan main, state party ke adhyaksh mat rinaldi ne felan ko "sham mahabhiyog" kaha.

“matadaataaon ne teen chunaavon ke madhyam se general packston kaa samarthan kiya he - or unki lokapriyata keval lakhon dollar ke baavjood use haraane kii koshish karne ke liye badi he.ab texas house chunaav parinaamon ko palatney kii koshish kar rahaa he, "rinaldi ne kaha, vah kehete hue ki vah seenet ke" rajasi netritv "ko" hamaare rajya ke liye pavitrataa or kaaran ko behaal karne "ke liye dekh rahaa tha.

yah abhi tak spasht nahin he ki seenet, jahaan republican ke paas democrates par 19-12 bahumat he, iskaa mukadmaa chalaaegaa.yah sab keval nimna str ke texas rinos ke liye khud ke liye dhyaan aakarshith karne ke liye ek prayaas ho saktaa he.
assistant
<|system|>
</s>
<|user|>
</s>
<|assistant|>
texas house of ripregentative ne teesri avadhi ke republican atorni general ken packston ko mahabhiyog lagane ke liye chaunkaa diya he.

logon ne use samay -samay par waapas jane ke baavjood, saathiyon ke ek sangrah ne ab nagarikon kii ichha ko chin liya he.rajya ke kanoon ke tahat, packston ko ab atorni general ke rup main apane kartavyon se asthaayee rup se nilambit kar diya gaya he or ek seenet pareekshan kaa intjaar karegaa.vot 121-23 tha, jisamen do sadsy "vartmaan" matdaan karte the.

isse bhi adhik chaunkaane vaala, yah mukhya rup se texas roodhiwaadiyon kaa ek maamla tha jo apane swayan ke ek kii jaanch kar rahaa tha.saamaanya jaanch samiti ke adhyaksh rape andrew mur, kathith taur par ek republican hai.unki samiti ne packston ke khilaaf mahabhiyog ke 20 maamalon kii sifarish kii.

yahaan tak ki democrate rape. herold daton ko andeh tha.daton upasthit sadasyon main se ek tha.unhone kaha ki mahabhiyog ke vot main bhaag liya gaya tha."jis prakriya se ham ise praapt kar rahe hai, vah is bindu par sankshipt prathit hota he ki yah sirf uchit prakriya par atikaraman karata he," daton ne kaha.

packston ne shuukravaar ke ek samachar sammelan main galat kaam karne se inkaar kiya.unhone raashtrapati jo biden ke pramukh pratidwandvi ke rup main apane record par mahabhiyog ke khilaaf apane bayanon par dhyaan kendrit kiya.packston ke karyaalay ne biden prashasan ke khilaaf darjanon mukademe daayar kiye hai.

ab-nilambit atorni general ne vot ke kuch hi minuton baad ek bayaan main mahabhiyog ko "raajnneetik rup se prerit sham" kaha."texas house main badsoorat tamaasha ne aaj mere khilaaf apmanjanak mahabhiyog kii sajeesh kii pushti kii, kabhi bhi nishpaksh yaa uchit nahin tha," unhone kaha.

is vichaar kaa samarthan karne vaale bahut saare saboot hai ki kaarywahi main dhaandhlee kii gai thi.packston ne kaha ki unhen kabhi bhi ek jaanch ke nishkarshon kaa khandan karte hue saboot pesh karne kaa mauka nahin diya gaya ki unhone apane karyaalay kaa durupyog kiya.packston ne house spikar dead felan ko bataaya he, sambhawatah ek "udaar" he.yah kehete hue, "democrates or libral republican ke felan kaa gathbandhan ab biden prashasan, garbhpaat udyog, anti-gan zealots or voke corporation ke saath lockstep main he."

atorni general ke karyaalay ne mahabhiyog vot ke baad ke aaropon ke bare main apni "vyapak report" jari kii, yah kehete hue ki yah packston ke khilaaf "asmaan rup se galat gavaahi kaa khandan karata he".karyaalay ne ek bahari lau form se ek report bhi jari kii, haalanki louis brisbois bisaguard or smith elelpi noton kii report yah keval atorni general ke karyaalay dwaara pradaan kii gai jaankaree or gavaahi par aadhaarit he.

mahabhiyog vot kii utpatti march main texas house kii general investegating cameti dwaara march main shuru kii gai ek jaanch main hui thi, jab packston ne vidhanmandal ko chaar vislabloar ke saath mukadmaa chalaane ke liye sarkari dhan main $ 3.3 million ko manjuuri dene ke liye kaha tha, jo unke karyaalay se nikaal die gaye the.

mahabhiyog ke virodhiyon ne kaaphi had tak uske khilaaf aaropon ko sambodhit karne se inkaar kar diya, iske bajaay kaarywahi ke liye agrani jaanch par dhyaan kendrit kiya."mujhe nahin lagata ki aaj is bare main he ki kya aparaadh yaa nirdoshta he.yah prakriya ke bare main he, ”rape tony tinderholt ne kaha.

"main yahan ken packston kii raksha karne ke liye nahin hoon," rape. jon tii. smithi ne farsh par kaha.unhone kaha, “aaj aapako jo karne ke liye kaha ja rahaa he vah saboot ke bina mahabhiyog he.yah sab afvaah he.yah sab inuando he.yah sab atakalein hai. ”

kai log madad nahin kar sakate hai, lekin aashcharya he ki kya samay or prayaas yahaan iske laayak tha, uski baari lokapriyata ko dekhte hue.packston ne pehle jiopi namakan ke liye kai virodhiyon se ladaai ladi thi, jisamen bush family scon jorge pi. bush, state land kamishnar shaamil the, jinhen unhone aasaani se ek apvaah main sarvshereshth kiya.

kuch aashcharyachakit ho sakate hai ki kya yah texas vidhaan shakha ke kam lokapriy sadasyon se irshyaa se paidaa hua tha.packston lambey samay se purv raashtrapati donald trump ke saath kareeb he, or 2020 main ek mukadmaa kaa netritv kiya, jo raashtrapati chunaav main jo biden kii jeet ko palatney kii maang kar rahaa tha.

matadaataaon ke saath kii tarah, packston tru texas jiopi netaaon ke ucchtam rank ke bheetar bahut samarthan rakhata he.shuukravaar ko ek bayaan main, state party ke adhyaksh mat rinaldi ne felan ko "sham mahabhiyog" kaha.

“matadaataaon ne teen chunaavon ke madhyam se general packston kaa samarthan kiya he - or unki lokapriyata keval lakhon dollar ke baavjood use haraane kii koshish karne ke liye badi he.ab texas house chunaav parinaamon ko palatney kii koshish kar rahaa he, "rinaldi ne kaha, vah kehete hue ki vah seenet ke" rajasi netritv "ko" hamaare rajya ke liye pavitrataa or kaaran ko behaal karne "ke liye dekh rahaa tha.

yah abhi tak spasht nahin he ki seenet, jahaan republican ke paas democrates par 19-12 bahumat he, iskaa mukadmaa chalaaegaa.yah sab keval nimna str ke texas rinos ke liye khud ke liye dhyaan aakarshith karne ke liye ek prayaas ho saktaa he.</s>
