6 MONTHS FOR 99¢! |
Readers react to Paxton trail
We always get a steady stream of comments from Texas Take readers. But the Ken Paxton impeachment trial has turned that into a deluge.
Just in the last week, y'all have given us over 40 emails focused almost entirely on the impeachment efforts against the Texas Attorney General.
Several Paxton supporters made it clear they are sticking by the Collin County Republican and found the trial to be a big waste of time. And it's not just Paxton seeking revenge against some of those who he feels wronged him as we pointed out yesterday. Vernon Davis told us bluntly he hopes those Paxton enemies all get pushed out of office.
"I think any Republican who votes guilty should have his ass primaried out the door," he said.
But other past Paxton supporters, like Roseann Jones, are clearly worn out over his constant legal issues. "I've voted and supported Paxton in the past. I just can't anymore. I'm convinced that he did abuse his power."
While he survived impeachment, Greg Groh reminded us Paxton's legal troubles are far from over. He still faces two counts of securities fraud and some lawyers are challenging his law license.
"Ken may be riding high on his revenge tour at the moment, but his wings could get clipped in a hurry if he's indicted by the feds or found guilty of securities fraud," Groh said.
While Paxton was acquitted last weekend, the court of public opinion might be another thing. The vast majority of readers told us that the details of the Paxton trial were damning. Rick Kempe told us the charges against him were legitimate and Jim Rapson told us it convinced him that Paxton is the "most ethically challenged Attorney General Texas has had in decades."
That's saying something given former Attorney General Dan Morales back in 2003 went to prison for admitting to altering and forging government documents.
As always, thanks to everyone who filled our inbox. Keep them coming.
 | Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter |
Who's up, who's down
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced in The Wall Street Journal that he is switching political parties from Democrat to Republican. "Next spring, I will be voting in the Republican primary," Johnson wrote. "When my career in elected office ends in 2027 on the inauguration of my successor as mayor, I will leave office as a Republican."
Down: The Texas House.
Their impeachment effort against Paxton failed and Gov. Greg Abbott has said he's calling them back for another special session on school vouchers, which they've repeatedly rejected. And to top it all off, their fight with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who runs the Senate, isn't about to end anytime soon. "I'll be running again in 2026," Patrick, 73, told Monica Madden over at KXAN in Austin.
What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.
What else is going on in Texas
|
|
|
|
|
Pick of the day
Photo by: Nadya Hassan
We are back with another new episode of the Texas Take Podcast where we will discuss Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to call for a special session on a school choice program and the looming federal government shutdown.
What else I'm reading
House Speaker Dade Phelan is out with a new op-ed piece in the Beaumont Enterprise where he explains why the House pursued Paxton's impeachment and how he feels Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Texas Senate, used his position to help Paxton rather than act as an impartial judge in the case. Phelan said, "the fix was in from the start."
 |
Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice
Houston Chronicle
4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027
© 2023 Hearst Communications
No comments:
Post a Comment