Ken Paxton and aides ordered to answer questions under oath in whistleblower case
The four whistleblowers asked the court last month to force the attorney general and his aides to sit for deposition, which would require them to answer questions under oath related to the allegations of bribery and corruption.
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday
The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges donโt delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.
Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line
Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate.
The Texas Houseโs new priority education bill offers concessions to sway voucher skeptics
The revised bill promises a significant funding increase for public schools and academic accountability measures for students participating in the proposed voucher program, two of the biggest requests from voucher opponents.
Texas House priority bill increases education spending in exchange for creating voucher program
House Bill 1 would make an educational savings account program available to 25,000 Texas students in its first year, with increased participation to follow. The governorโs office indicated that the proposal was lacking.
After fighting for Uvalde residents, Roland Gutierrez struggles to break through crowded field to challenge Ted Cruz
The Democrat has dedicated significant energy to probing law enforcementโs response to the Uvalde school shooting. But he faces a fundraising deficit against U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas.
Gov. Greg Abbott says heโll add teacher pay to the special session โ but only if lawmakers pass school voucher bill
Though lawmakers have drafted a bill to increase public school funding and teacher salaries, it cannot pass during the special session unless Abbott adds those issues to his agenda.
School voucher bill gets initial approval in the Texas Senate, heads over to a more skeptical House
The Senate also approved Senate Bill 2, which would infuse $5.2 billion to school districts to help them with teacher raises and rising costs. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would add those items to the special sessionโs agenda once lawmakers approve a voucher program.
Ken Paxtonโs lawyer attacks allegation that home renovation was a bribe
Drew Wicker, Paxtonโs former personal assistant, testified at Paxtonโs impeachment trial that his boss used four cell phones and ditched his security to meet with Nate Paul. But Wicker also provided Paxtonโs lawyer with a chance to attack a central bribery allegation.
โI did everything at his supervisionโ: Outside lawyer says Ken Paxton approved every step of Nate Paul investigation
Houston lawyer Brandon Cammack said he was excited to help the attorney generalโs office with a criminal investigation. But after a whirlwind month, he was fired without payment and felt heโd โgotten the rug pulled out from me.โ
Paxton trial, Sept. 12: Whistleblower says he feared Paxton had โturned overโ his office to donor
A Paxton whistleblower testified that the attorney general took an unusual interest in Nate Paulโs litigation against a charity in 2020. Another said Paul benefited from an opinion on foreclosures.
Paxton empathized with Nate Paulโs distrust of law enforcement because of his own indictment, whistleblower testifies
Mark Penley testified that Paxton made numerous negative comments about the Texas Department of Public Safety because of his 2015 securities fraud case. โHe doesnโt trust the [DPS] director and he feels like they ran a corrupt investigation on him,โ he said.
Paxton trial, Sept. 11: Whistleblower says political donor acted like he was the โreal bossโ of AGโs office
One whistleblower testified that Ken Paxton didnโt trust law enforcement after his own securities fraud indictment. Senators could begin deliberating the impeachment charges later this week.
Political warnings and accusations of misconduct: 6 main themes emerge in first week of Ken Paxtonโs impeachment trial
The suspended attorney generalโs lawyers focused on disloyalty and attacked evidence, while impeachment managers accused Paxton of excessive and obsessive misconduct. Neither side ignored the politics behind the case.
DAY 4:Private texts, whistleblower memes revealed during AG Ken Paxtonโs impeachment trial
The historic impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton is underway in the Texas Senate. He faces 16 articles of impeachment that accuse him of misusing the powers of the attorney generalโs office to help his friend and donor Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor who was under federal investigation.
Paxton trial, Sept 8: AGโs former top cop says he warned Paxton about โcriminalโ Nate Paul
The former top cop for the attorney generalโs office testified that complying with real estate investor Nate Paulโs requests would have amounted to criminal activity. Defense attorneys also questioned whistleblowers about their group texts.
What to know about Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial so far, and what's ahead
The historic impeachment trial that could remove Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from office began with testimony about an extramarital affair and the Republicanโs former top aides testifying they felt compelled to report him to the FBI.
โIt was not a mutinyโ: Senior staff had no choice but to report Ken Paxton to the FBI, whistleblower testifies
Ryan Bangert, a former top official under the attorney general, said Paxton allowed a friend and political donor to hijack the state agency, diverting it from its mission to help all Texans.
Paxton trial updates: Whistleblower says going to FBI over Paxtonโs actions was โprotecting the interests of the stateโ
Former attorney general officials testified that Ken Paxton pushed to release confidential FBI records to friend and donor Nate Paul. They also denied defense attorneysโ assertions that they staged a โmutiny.โ
Paxton trial, Sept. 6: Witnesses claim AG was fixated on Nate Paul
On the second day of the impeachment trial, former officials in the attorney generalโs office say Ken Paxtonโs relationship with real estate investor Nate Paul raised alarms. Defense attorney accused the witnesses of โstaging a coup.โ
Ken Paxton impeachment trial begins with sniping: โSlow creep of corruptionโ vs. โnothing of significanceโ
After senators rejected the suspended attorney generalโs bid to dismiss all accusations against him, lawyers for both sides laid out their cases and impeachment managers called their first witness.
Paxton trial, Sept. 5: Suspended AG pleads not guilty to all impeachment articles, leaves before afternoon proceedings
On the first day of the impeachment trial, senators rejected defense attorneysโ attempts to dismiss all 16 articles of impeachment. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also ruled that Ken Paxton couldnโt be forced to testify.
Hereโs how Ken Paxtonโs impeachment trial will operate
Under rules previously adopted by the Texas Senate, the trial will feature crucial votes on dismissing articles of impeachment as well as testimony under oath, private deliberations by senator-jurors and votes conducted without debate or discussion.
Ken Paxton tried to hide his affair from his wife and voters. It may be his undoing.
The impeachment trial that starts Tuesday is expected to center on Paxtonโs infidelity, and could air out the sordid details of the staunch, Christian conservativeโs life as he sits just yards away from his wife, and her 30 Senate colleagues.
Texas AG Ken Paxton's impeachment trial is in the hands of Republicans who have been by his side
The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is going to test the will of Republicans senators to punish not only one of their own, but a hard-right firebrand who has driven the stateโs policymaking for years.
Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effect
The Texas Supreme Court will allow the new state law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect on Friday, setting up Texas to be the most populous state with such restrictions on transgender children.
Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effect
The Texas Supreme Court will allow the new state law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect on Friday, setting up Texas to be the most populous state with such restrictions on transgender children.