The Downfall of Kenny Boy

 

     Yes, Hell finally froze over in Texas.

     For the first time in Texas history, a sitting Attorney General has been impeached. The Texas House yesterday voted overwhelmingly to impeach Ken Paxton 121-23. One can only imagine the fun Molly Ivins would've had with this.

     Trump vowed revenge on any Texas Republican who voted to impeach. Paxton vowed revenge in personal calls made to lawmakers during the impeachment process. 121 voted to impeach, anyway. Looks as if Trump and Paxton are going to be busy.

     As with the federal government, all it would've taken is one article of impeachment to send the matter to the Senate. They found 20.

     Naturally, we've been hearing the usual pious bilge from pro-impeachment Republicans in Austin about how this is for the good of the people of Texas. This, coming from lawmakers who know damned good and well that Paxton's been under indictment since 2015 or that strong whiffs of corruption have been wafting off Paxton like a sewer gas leak since he first took over as Attorney General. In fact, when cataloguing the examples of wrong-doing, one is at a loss where to begin. On fact, one marvels at the Texas House's ability to do just that and in such a short space of time.

     Of course, they knew exactly where to look and what to impeach him on because they studiously turned a blind eye to Paxton's Tammany-level corruption all these years and chose to do nothing about,

     Because that's what it's all about for these assholes- Political survival. Paxton's stinking vultures are all coming home to roost and the Texas GOP has no wish for even one of them to turn into a rotting albatross around their necks. They decided to take the first steps to amputating Paxton from the party before he fell off of his own corruption and take the party down with him. That's how they were able to decide on what articles to impeach him. With 20 of them one is surely bound to stick.

     This suspends Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott, who'd notoriously remained mum on this issue now has to appoint an interim AG until after the impeachment trial in the Senate.

     So, for what was Ken Paxton impeached? Let us count the ways:

     Disregard of Official Duty Protection of Charitable Organization Disregard of Official Duty-Abuse of the Opinion Process Disregard of Official Duty-Abuse of the Open Records Process Disregard of Official Duty-Misuse of Official Information Disregard of Official Duty-Engagement of Cammack Disregard of Official Duty-Termination of Whistleblowers Misapplication of Public Resources- Whistleblower Investigation and Report Disregard of Official Duty-Settlement Agreement Constitutional Bribery-Paul's Employment of Mistress Constitutional Bribery- Paul's Providing Renovations to Paxton Home Obstruction of Justice-Abuse of Judicial Process Obstruction of Justice-Abuse of Judicial Process False Statements in Official Records- State Securities Board Investigation False Statements in Official Records- Personal Financial Statements False Statements in Official Records- Whistleblower Response Report Conspiracy and Attempted Conspiracy Misappropriation of Public Resources Dereliction of Duty and Unfitness for Office Abuse of Public Trust.

     So, bottom line, they brought 20 articles of impeachment and impeached him on all 20 articles. And they all sound pretty serious.

     In Texas, as in the US Congress, you only need a simple majority but in the Senate, you need a two thirds majority to actually convict. As you can expect, Paxton's squealing like a stuck pig and acting like a character out of a Thomas Nast cartoon.

     Trump, typically, jumped in literally at the 11th hour while the legislature was hashing out the score of articles and vowing hellfire and damnation as Ted Cruz and Donnie Dumbo Jr. were trying to show their love and loyalty for Trump. But Trump, obviously, only has use for Paxton as long as he shows his loyalty, which he had by launching a score of lawsuits challenging the election results.

     But, really, if the Texas Senate Republicans show as much convenient and momentary intestinal fortitude that their counterparts in the House had shown yesterday, Ken Paxton will go down for the count, will get expelled from office and barred from running for office ever again. Who knows, it may even result in a permanent disbarment.

     Maybe Leo Leo will get him a law clerk position within the Federalist Society. Either way, Ken Paxton's time has come and gone and when this is all over, he'll be known as one of the most cartoonishly corrupt figures in American political history.