KEN PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT; SEN. KOLKHORST ISSUES STATEMENT

  

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted by the Texas Senate on Saturday after a two-week trial.

The jury of 30 senators – 18 Republicans and 12 Democrats – who were eligible to participate voted to acquit Paxton on 16 articles of impeachment that alleged bribery and abuse of office.  

The most votes an article of impeachment received was 14, including all 12 Democrats and Republicans Bob Nichols of Jacksonville and Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills.  Twenty-one votes were needed to convict. 

Republican Senator Angela Paxton, Ken’s wife, was not able to vote.

Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), one of six senators who initially voted to dismiss all articles of impeachment outright at the start of the trial, issued a statement on Saturday regarding the outcome and her vote.  Her full statement can be read below:

“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.”