DEVELOPING STORY: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been acquitted on all 16 corruption charges.
House Republicans had voted to impeach Paxton, but only two Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate.
The attorney general, who had been suspended, will be restored to office after nine days of testimony and about eight hours deliberating.
Paxton, who was a close ally of former President Trump, had been accused of using his office to benefit a real estate developer and improperly firing some of his top deputies who reported him to the FBI.
“The Bush era in Texas ends today,” declared Tony Buzbee, the attorney general’s defense attorney.
The Associated Press reported, “Buzbee portrayed the impeachment as a plot orchestrated by an old guard of GOP rivals. He singled out George P. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush who challenged Paxton in the 2022 Republican primary, punctuating a blistering closing argument that questioned the integrity of FBI agents and railed against Texas’ most famous political dynasty.”
“There is shame here, and the shame sits right there that they would bring this case in this chamber with no evidence,” Buzbee said. “I am proud to represent Attorney General Ken Paxton. If this can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.”
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