He also called for his supporters to "peacefully" mass outside the Capital on Saturday afternoon when the Texas House will consider Resolution 2377, calling for the attorney general's impeachment.
Paxton was joined at the press conference by Chris Hilton, the chief general of litigation for the Attorney General’s office and what appeared to be several fellow Republican lawmakers – although Paxton never addressed them by name.
The beleaguered office holder's appearance came after an announcement by Andrew Murr, committee chair that the House will consider the committee's findings Saturday, according to a memo written by Murr.
Paxton expressed his disapproval of what he said was the House’s priority of loyalty to House Speaker Dade Phelan rather than paying attention to the investigation's fairness. He claimed his team was prohibited from presenting evidence to defend the allegations made against him and that the process of impeachment was “curated from the start.”
Hilton said when he showed up to Thursday’s committee meeting – which resulted in a unanimous vote to adopt the articles of impeachment – to provide documents and reports that would disprove the allegations made, he was “thrown out.”
“If they cared about truth or about fairness or about transparency, they would have run a transparent investigation and invited us to participate,” Hilton said.
According to Hilton, the Committee didn’t get basic things right including the type of countertops the attorney general has, that he had paid for all his home repairs and renovations and only claims one homestead exemption – just like every other homeowner, he said.
He said there is no court in America that would tolerate a “process like this” and said there was no precedent in Texas history for a “illegal, sham investigation” such as this one.
Both Paxton and Hilton continue to claim the investigation and impeachment proceedings are unlawful under Texas constitutional law; however, Murr denied this and wrote that the House had power to initiate these procedures.
The attorney general called for the “political theater to come to an end” and compared the actions of the House and Phelan to those of President Joe Biden – who Paxton said, has attempted to sabotage his work since his first day in office.
Paxton said if the House does not make the right decision, he is looking forward to settling the ordeal in the Senate where he believes the process will be “fair and just.”
The attorney general closed out his remarks by asking for fellow citizens and friends to “peacefully” let their voices be heard at the Capitol on Saturday.
“Exercise your right to petition your government, let’s restore the power of this great state to the people instead of to the politicians,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, Paxton reportedly dispatched at least one of his staff members to the Capitol to talk with legislators and give them reasons as to why they should vote “no” in the impending proceedings.
Allegedly, the staff members that were sent included Rep. Suzanna Hupp, who was reportedly accompanied by Senator Angela Paxton, the attorney general’s wife.
Matt Rinaldi, The Chairman of The Republic Party of Texas issued this statement in response to Paxton’s impeachment proceedings:
Speaker Dade Phelan and his leadership team have appointed Democrats to high-ranking leadership positions, attacked the Republican Party of Texas, battled our conservative Lieutenant governor, and killed Governor Abbott’s top priorities. The impeachment proceedings against the Attorney General are but the latest front in the Texas House’s war against Republicans to stop the conservative direction of our state.
This sham impeachment is the result of the Phelan leadership team empowering Democrats, allowing them to hold leadership positions and letting them control the agenda. It is based on allegations already litigated by voters, led by a liberal Speaker trying to undermine his conservative adversaries, and investigated by lawyers connected to a Democrat on the House General Investigations Committee. The voters have supported General Paxton through three elections – and his popularity has only grown despite millions of dollars spent to try to defeat him. Now the Texas House is trying to overturn the election results.
It seems Texas Republicans will have to rely yet again on the principled leadership of the Texas Senate to restore sanity and reason for our state.
