Texas Attorney General Paxton pleads not guilty to all counts in impeachment trial

The impeachment trial for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton began Tuesday in the state Senate, with Republicans in control of the chamber largely deciding the fate of the Republican firebrand accused by his own party of taking bribes and abusing his office.

Paxton pleaded not guilty to 16 counts Tuesday morning, CBS reported. He faces removal from office and a ban on running again should the Senate convict him.

Among the most conservative state attorneys general in the country, Paxton has led the group in several collective efforts to pose legal challenges to such Democrat-led federal legislation as the Affordable Care Act and immigration policy that has allowed undocumented immigrants to be brought into the U.S. as children.

Paxton has for years faced legal trouble and allegations of wrongdoing, according to NBC News.

In 2020, his staff reported him to the FBI for suspected corruption over his dealings with a donor and real estate investor.

After whistleblowers sued and Paxton struck a $3.3 million settlement, House members began investigating the whistleblowers' claims before impeaching Paxton in May, NBC also reports. 

The 20 articles of impeachment that he now faces in the state Senate allege in part that Paxton used his power and office to help the donor-investor work through legal difficulties. They also accuse him of accepting bribes in the form of renovations to his home and a job for a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair, the news outlet also reports. 

Paxton also allegedly retaliated against whistleblowers and spent government money to try to cover up his wrongdoing with a sham investigation into their claims.

Paxton has denied the allegations and continues to fight them. 

“It’s not a criminal trial. It’s not a civil trial. It’s a political trial,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a recent interview with a local Fox TV affiliate.