(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) On the first day of the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Tuesday, the majority of Republicans voted with Democrats to allow all 20 articles of impeachment to be tried. They denied all motions filed by Paxton’s attorneys seeking to dismiss the charges.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who’s presiding over the trial, also said Paxton could not be compelled to testify at trial.
After the senators voted on pretrial motions, the clerk read all 20 articles of impeachment, one by one. After each article was read, Patrick asked Paxton, “How do you plead?”
His lead attorney, Tony Buzbee, replied stating, “not guilty,” after the first two articles were read. He then added statements beginning with Article 3, saying, “everything she just read is not true,” referring to the clerk, adding Paxton “is not guilty.” After the clerk read Article 4, Buzbee said, “every one of those allegations is false” and Paxton is “not guilty.” After Article 5 was read, he said, “AG Paxton is innocent” and not guilty.
After Article 6 was read, he said, “everything she said is legally and factually incorrect” and Paxton is not guilty. After Article 7, he said, “the allegations she referenced are untrue,” adding that Paxton is not guilty. After Article 8, he said, “the attorney general is innocent of the charges;” after Article 9, “allegations are flat out false;” after Article 10, “allegations are offensive, false;” after Article 11, “stand by the court and plead not guilty,” also adding after each statement that Paxton is not guilty.
One of the attorneys for the House managers, Rusty Hardin, objected halfway through and said Buzbee couldn’t add statements to his plea statement; he could only say Paxton pleads guilty or not guilty. Patrick sustained his objection.
Buzbee then replied to the remaining charges saying Paxton is “absolutely not guilty” and “is innocent and pleads not guilty.”
After the charges were read, six witnesses were sworn in as a group, not individually. Patrick did not state who the witnesses were. However, one appears to be the AG’s former first deputy and a whistleblower, Jeff Mateer.
Mateer is one of 8 former staffers who worked for Paxton who filed a complaint with the FBI alleging that Paxton committed misconduct. He did not join the wrongful termination lawsuit against Paxton and is not part of the $3.3 million settlement at the heart of the impeachment allegations.
On Tuesday afternoon, Mateer was the first witness to testify and respond to questioning from the lead prosecuting attorney, Hardin.
As previously reported by The Center Square, during the wrongful termination lawsuit trial, while under oath, Mateer said he could not affirm that Paxton committed any alleged criminal activity.
When asked, “Did you come to believe that the Office of Attorney General was being engaged in ongoing criminal activity in connection with Nate Paul,” Mateer replied, “I know it called for yes or no, but it’s a question that it’s hard to give a yes or no, so that makes it difficult for me – as – as the witness. What I would say is it – it could have led to that. Certainly, it’s – did I have concerns? I had potential concerns.”
After the witnesses were sworn in, the Senate took a one-hour break and returned to hear opening arguments.
