A Texas House of Representatives investigative committee recommended impeachment for Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The committee unanimously voted 5-0 to adopt articles of impeachment for Paxton on Thursday, with the recommendation coming as soon as Friday.
The five-member GOP-led investigative committee met on Wednesday to discuss the allegations of wrongdoing against Paxton, who is accused of breaking several laws and misusing his power to help a political donor, including abusing the use of official information, official capacity, and retaliating.
Paxton claimed the probe against him was based on "hearsay and gossip, parroting long-disproven claims" and is fueled by "RINOs."
The chief of general litigation for Paxton's office Chris Hilton called the committee's investigation "illegal," adding that "impeachment is completely foreclosed by Texas law" in Paxton's case.
Despite being under indictment on felony security charges since 2015, Paxton was re-elected twice. The FBI is also investigating him over bribery claims from whistleblowers— former lieutenants from his office.
In addition, four of his aides sued Paxton, who claims he fired them for reporting him to federal law enforcement for allegedly taking bribes and using his power to help one of his campaign donors, Nate Paul.
The House committee launched its probe after Paxton and the whistleblowers reached a $3.3. million settlement.
If everyone in the House votes to impeach Paxton, he'd be immediately removed from his position pending the outcome of a trial on the charges in the state Senate.
On Thursday, Paxton's office declared the probe to be "false," "misleading," and "full of errors big and small."
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