Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been under investigation for corruption for several years. In 2020, eight of his top deputies accused him of bribery and abuse of office. The House of Representatives launched an investigation into the allegations, and on Wednesday, the committee investigating Paxton released a report that found evidence of wrongdoing.
The report found that Paxton had used his office to help a campaign donor, Nate Paul, and that he had retaliated against employees who had raised concerns about his conduct. The report also found that Paxton had failed to disclose his financial interests in a company that was doing business with the state.
Paxton has denied all of the allegations against him. He has said that the investigation is a politically motivated witch hunt.
It is unclear what will happen next for Paxton. The House committee could recommend that he be impeached, but it is unlikely that the Republican-controlled Legislature would vote to remove him from office. The Justice Department is also investigating Paxton, but it is also unclear whether he will be charged with any crimes.
Paxton is up for re-election in 2022. It is possible that the corruption allegations will damage his chances of winning.
Here are some possible scenarios for what could happen next for Paxton:
- The House could recommend that he be impeached. If the Legislature votes to impeach him, he would be removed from office and a special election would be held to fill his seat.
- The Justice Department could charge Paxton with a crime. If he is convicted, he could be sentenced to prison.
- Paxton could be re-elected in 2022. If he is re-elected, he would remain in office and the corruption allegations would likely continue to dog him.
It is too early to say what will happen next for Paxton. The corruption investigation is ongoing, and it is possible that new information could come to light that could change the course of events.