The Texas State Senate has acquitted state Attorney General Ken Paxton of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption, bribery, and unfitness for office.
On Saturday, all but two of 18 Republicans voted to clear Paxton on any of the charges filed against him, despite the GOP overwhelming voting to impeach him earlier this year.
A two-thirds majority, 21 votes, was needed to convict Paxton on any of the 16 articles of impeachment. Republican Sens. Robert Nichols and Kelly Hancock joined the 12 Democrats who voted in favor of conviction on several charges.
The jury of 30 senators spent roughly eight hours deliberating behind closed doors since the Senate ended deliberations eight days ago.
Paxton's attorney, Tony Buzbee, said the prosecution did not prove its case, calling the charges "baloney" and "hogwash."
"There is shame here, and the shame sits right there that they would bring this case in this chamber with no evidence," Buzbee said on Friday. "I am proud to represent Attorney General Ken Paxton. If this can happen to him, it can happen to anyone."
The attorney general accused him of abusing his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul. Paxton's opponents argued he accepted a bribe by hiring him.
"If we don't keep public officials from abusing the powers of their office, then frankly, no one can," Republican state Rep. Andrew Murr, one of the impeachment managers in the Texas House, said during closing arguments. "He directs it to serve himself, not the people of Texas. If you vote to condone that, then high office will simply be the most profitable choice for any self-serving crook."
Senate rules prohibited Paxton's wife and State Senator Angela Paxton from serving on the jury. However, she was required to be present for the trial.
On Wednesday, attorneys for the bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton's impeachment rested their case after a woman who was expected to testify about an extramarital affair with the attorney general appeared at the trial. However, she never took the stand.
The affair was crucial to the proceedings and accusations of Paul, who the FBI was investigating while he employed the woman, Laura Olson. According to one of the articles of impeachment against Paxton, Paul's hiring of Olson allegedly amounted to a bribe.
"I would suggest to you this is a political witch hunt," Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee continued. "I would suggest that this trial has displayed, for the country to see, a partisan fight within the Republican Party."
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