Texas AG Paxton acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment

The Texas Senate voted on Saturday to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment that had been voted against him by the Texas House of Representatives.

In May, the GOP House voted 121-23 to impeach him on 20 articles that include bribery and abuse of public trust. The Senate did not take up four of those articles, according to The Associated Press. 

The verdict was decided on by 30 senators, of whom 12 are Democrats and the rest Republican. The 31st Texas senator is the wife of Paxton, who was not allowed to vote in the proceedings.

Paxton will not be removed from office. 

Paxton faced 16 articles of impeachment that alleged he used his power and office to help donor-investor Nate Paul work through legal difficulties. He was also accused of accepting bribes in the form of renovations to his home. One of the articles of impeachment was about a job from Nate Paul for a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair.

The GOP-led House voted to impeach Paxton earlier this year. He was accused of retaliating against whistleblowers and spending government money to try to cover up his wrongdoing with a sham investigation into their claims. 

Charlotte Hazard is a reporter at Just the News. Follow her on Twitter.