Anything goes in Texas politics, it seems. The Texas Senate voted Saturday to acquit the most corrupt attorney general in the history of Texas on 16 charges of bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of office. This after the House presented extensive evidence and shocking details of how Republican AG Ken Paxton used the people's law firm to benefit a real estate developer in Austin.
The acquittal marks the end of one chapter in an internecine struggle --- the impeachment was led by Republicans in the Texas House --- but don't expect this civil war to end any time soon. West Texas billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks will be funding primary challenges against those in the GOP who voted for impeachment and conviction. The Republican senators who voted for acquittal, as Rice political science professor Mark P. Jones argued, voted based on political calculus, not their conscience. In doing so, they have abdicated the moral and ethical authority to hold other officeholders to account or to judge them in the public sphere. The combative statement by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick right after the vote and the bitter responses of House leadership signal that we are not likely to see compromises and collaboration on bills that would benefit Texans.
We want to hear from you. Send us your thoughts on the acquittal to viewpoints@houstonchronicle.com.
In the meantime, we're deep in the process of working up endorsements for the upcoming elections. This week, we're sharing videos and questionnaires of leading mayoral candidates starting with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
- The Editorial Board
Our picks
Photo by: Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
By Houston Chronicle Editorial Board
If enough of Texas voters decided they're tired of corruption, tired of an AG who flouts the laws the rest of us have to follow, tired of a politician beholden only to the billionaires that feed him, they can do what the House couldn't do.
 Photo by: Sharon Steinmann, Ken Ellis, Susan Barber | | By Houston Chronicle Editorial Board The congresswoman sat down with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board to discuss her vision and priorities for the city. | |
 Photo by: Brett Coomer, Staff Photographer | | By Houston Chronicle Editorial Board We recommend a 'yes' vote for Prop 4 establishing the Texas University Fund that would add more than $1 billion to the University of Houston endowment. | |
 Photo by: Sam Owens/Sam Owens/Pool Via San Antonio E | | By Mark P. Jones Paxton's acquittal underscores a truism in Texas politics today: political power flows through the Republican Party primary in March and May rather than through the November general election. | |
 Photo by: William Luther/San Antonio Express-News | | By Houston Chronicle Editorial Board Also: Leach confesses love for Paxton. 'Madman Abbott.' Texas officers aid in murderer's capture. | |
 Photo by: Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle | |
 Photo by: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff Photographer | | By Neeraj Tandon, James Llamas Leaders of Bike Share Houston, which operates BCycle, explain the program's cash crunch, and what it would take for a bike-share program to work here. | |
 Photo by: H-GAC | | By Houston Chronicle Editorial Board Wonky and obscure? Sure. But this effort is about regional planning that determines where we build highways, walkable neighborhoods, flood detention and other critical infrastructure. | |
From our readers
 Photo by: Joel Martinez/Associated Press | |
 Photo by: Courtney Pedersen/The Enterprise | | Jeff Knight, Houston: "In the process, ordinary citizens are getting punished by providers charging sky-high rates. One must wonder if the public is really being looked after, or are the foxes eating all the hens?" | |
Send us your letters and op-eds
| We want to hear from you! Have an opinion or a response to one of our stories? Learn how to submit your op-eds or letters here or shoot us an email at viewpoints@chron.com. | |
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