Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX), last being suspended by the Texas Senate for suspected corruption, before that leading the SCOTUS-rejected Texas vs. Pennsylvania, and before that being accused of various acts of corruption by his own staff … deep breath … appears to attract the corrupt as well. And Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R-TX) now faces questions:
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, received $3 million in campaign support last month from a top group campaigning against Paxton’s impeachment.
In a campaign-finance report published Tuesday, Patrick — who is not up for reelection until 2026 — reported a $1 million contribution and a $2 million loan from Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The political action committee was by far his biggest benefactor on the report, which covered Patrick’s fundraising from June 19-30. It was the first opportunity state officials had to fundraise since the House impeached Paxton in late May.
Patrick’s Senate has scheduled a trial to begin Sept. 5 to determine whether to permanently remove Paxton from office. Patrick has been acting as presiding officer of the trial — effectively the judge — and the fundraising period partially overlapped with the Senate’s deliberations over the trial rules. The chamber approved the rules June 21. [The Texas Tribune]
Mr. Paxton has been in trouble for a good long time, and, to my sensibilities, that suggests either someone is out to get him, or he’s a bad to the bone politician who has no sense of morality. Let’s assume the latter. He may possess a sense that God is on his side, and it keeps him going, but it’s a bit irrelevant.
The important point is that the Republicans seem to be attracting this sort to their party, and this will tend to drive away independents, even those who distrust the ways of the Democrats.
Now, to the credit of the Texas Republicans in the State Senate, they have suspended him and are looking to impeach him. However, Lt. Governor Patrick didn’t report that $1 million, plus a $2 million loan. Did he not realize who Defend Texas Liberty PAC backed? I’d believe that. Or did he just not care.
Ya gotta wonder if Texas is a swirling pit of corruption, or if they’ll end up ejecting Mr. Paxton.
