ANDREW MURR

The House impeachment managers faced a high bar: convincing enough Republican senators to vote against their own political self-interest.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is back in office after winning acquittal on impeachment charges over accusations of corruption and bribery.

The victory for Attorney General Paxton was not even close, it was overwhelming and it also was filled with much emotion especially afterwards from both sides with what took place in there.

The lieutenant governor criticized the House for a secretive and rushed process that “wasted” taxpayer dollars. The House speaker fired back, saying Patrick confessed his bias and contempt.

Senators begin deliberating in private after defense lawyers and impeachment managers make impassioned pleas after two weeks of trial.

Before 30 senators take on their role as impeachment trial jurors, they face a series of momentous decisions on whether to dismiss the charges as requested by the attorney general.

Supporters and opponents of impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton pressed for favorable rules governing a Senate trial that will begin on Sept. 5.

Led by Andrew Murr, a West Texas rancher and lawyer, and Ann Johnson, a former prosecutor, the team of 12 includes 11 with a law degree.

The Houston-based attorneys are legends in their own right, having participated in numerous high-profile criminal and civil matters.

Seven Republicans and five Democrats make up the board of managers who will handle the prosecution in the trial, which has yet to be scheduled.

The long list of accusations were outlined as part of 20 charges of impeachment adopted by the Texas House.

The House voted 121-23 to suspend the attorney general and refer him to the Senate for trial on charges of bribery, abuse of office and obstruction. It was the first such impeachment since 1975.

Republicans have chosen to remain largely silent during years of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking by the attorney general. Now they will have to take a public stand.

Chris Hilton, head of litigation in the attorney general’s office, told reporters that lawmakers can’t oust Paxton. His comments came as a House committee met behind closed doors about its investigation into the state’s top lawyer.

Many allegations against Paxton were already known, but the airing of them revealed the scope of the investigation by the committee, which has the power to recommend censure or impeachment.

The House General Investigating Committee found that Slaton, a Republican from Royse City, engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate. The Texas Tribune previously reported on an allegation that he had sex with one of his staff, a woman under 21, and gave her alcohol.

Weeks after the committee issued four subpoenas without disclosing what they were for, it moves forward with its investigation into an unnamed lawmaker.

The bill was amended to make the benefits retroactive, supporting the family of a soldier whose name is on the legislation.

Here are things to know for Wednesday, September 8:

A rewrite of election laws in Texas is on the cusp of heading to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.

Democrats used every tool they had, fleeing the state en masse and forcing two special sessions, but a Republican bill to rewrite state election laws won final approval in the House on Friday. Once the House and Senate work out some differences, it appears headed to the governor’s desk.

Senate Bill 1 would outlaw local efforts to make it easier to vote, ratchet up vote-by-mail rules and bolster protections for partisan poll watchers. The Senate already passed the legislation, but a House panel Monday replaced that with the lower chamber’s version of the bill.

Whose voices will be heard in Texas halls of power? That question beats at the heart of the Democratic quorum break that has brought the Legislature to a halt and focused national attention on GOP efforts to make voting in Texas harder.

Authors of the legislation are moving to ban drive-thru and 24-hour voting options, enhance access for partisan poll watchers and prohibit local election officials from proactively distributing applications to request mail-in ballots. Both bills also include language to further restrict the state’s voting-by-mail rules, including new ID requirements for absentee voters.

Legislative attempts to reform bail in Texas is likely headed for a closed-door showdown over the different approaches the House and Senate each devised.