Most, but not all, Katy-area representatives vote for Paxton impeachment

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 6/1/23

Of the five Katy-area state representatives who voted May 27 on impeachment for Attorney General Ken Paxton, four voted for impeachment, while one voted against.

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Most, but not all, Katy-area representatives vote for Paxton impeachment

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Of the five Katy-area state representatives who voted May 27 on impeachment for Attorney General Ken Paxton, four voted for impeachment, while one voted against.

State Reps. Gary Gates, Jacey Jetton, Stan Kitzman and Jon Rosenthal voted for impeachment, while Rep. Mike Schofield voted against. Gates, Jetton, Kitzman and Schofield are Republicans. Rosenthal is a Democrat. Gates and Jetton represent portions of Fort Bend County. Kitzman represents Waller County. Rosenthal and Schofield represent Harris County. Schofield’s district includes the portion of Katy that falls in Harris County

The House voted 121-23, with two present and not voting and three members absent, to impeach Paxton. He has been suspended from office and his case now goes to the Texas Senate for trial.

Schofield, speaking of his opposition in a speech on the House floor, called the impeachment measure “a rushed motion to impeach a statewide officer elected by the people of Texas.”

Schofield said only two officials have been impeached by the House, the most recent a state district judge in 1975. (That judge, O.P. Carrillo of Duval County, was impeached, convicted and removed from office for misuse of public funds, among other crimes, according to the Texas Tribune. The first impeachment, in 1917, was of Gov. James “Pa” Ferguson for misappropriation of public funds, among other charges. Ferguson resigned the office before the Senate voted to convict, the Tribune reported, but the Senate did vote to convict Ferguson.)

In two other cases, Schofield said, the House considered impeachment cases but voted not to impeach.

“I began this week with no idea that the House was considering impeaching the attorney general,” Schofield said. “Now, here at the end of the week, we are preparing to remove him from office before the day is out.”

Schofield did not speak to the allegations against Paxton, but rather to the process by which the impeachment matter was brought to the floor of the House for a vote.

“There is no need to rush to judgment,” Schofield said. “Impeachment in Texas isn’t just rare, but it’s virtually unique.”

In the two successful impeachment cases, Schofield said, the process took several weeks with open hearings and cross examination of witnesses by both sides. But in Paxton’s case, Schofield said, most representatives did not know that an impeachment was being considered until “at most a couple of days” before that impeachment was introduced before the House.

Schofield said there was no public testimony, or a chance for either the public or the House to learn of the allegations against Paxton. He said it reflects poorly on the House when an impeachment is suddenly sprung as it was in this case and there was little chance of public awareness and involvement.

“In an impeachment, the conclusion isn’t the only thing that matters,” Schofield said. “If we’re going to remove the official, the people should be involved so they can draw the same conclusion as us.”

The House appointed prosecutors, called managers, to present the case in the Senate trial. The articles of impeachment were delivered to the Senate May 29, which also happened to be the last day of the regular session.

To see the 20 articles of impeachment brought against Paxton, visit the Texas House of Representatives website, the abbreviated URL for which is bit.ly/3OO7XZ9.

Texas House of Representatives, Texas Attorney General, impeachment