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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, On September 16, 2023, the Texas Senate acquitted |
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Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment |
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considered in a two-week trial; and |
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WHEREAS, The Senate also voted to dismiss four other articles |
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of impeachment that the chamber agreed to set aside prior to the |
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trial, which stemmed from secretive, rushed, and flawed proceedings |
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in the Texas House in May 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Just two days after the House General Investigating |
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Committee revealed that it had spent months surreptitiously |
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scrutinizing the actions of Attorney General Paxton, it recommended |
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impeachment; it failed to put witnesses under oath during its |
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investigation and then failed to follow the rules of evidence in |
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alleging wrongdoing, basing its case on hearsay that would never be |
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admissible in a court of law; Attorney General Paxton was not given |
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the opportunity to defend himself to the Investigating Committee; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The House General Investigating Committee failed to |
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provide House members with adequate time or means to evaluate the |
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information it presented; the first impeachment of a statewide |
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official in over a century proceeded at warp speed, and despite a |
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complete lack of evidence, within two days, the House voted to |
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impeach, causing Attorney General Paxton's automatic suspension |
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from office pending a trial in the Senate; and |
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WHEREAS, In September, the fair and deliberative Senate trial |
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exposed the haste, flimsiness, and unfairness of the House |
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impeachment process, and Attorney General Paxton was duly |
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vindicated; the impeachment process in the House was a debacle that |
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undermined its legitimacy and integrity, and in order to restore |
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public faith, it must make amends for the grievous errors |
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committed; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby extend a formal apology to |
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Attorney General Ken Paxton; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Attorney General Ken Paxton as an expression of |
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sincere contrition by the Texas House of Representatives. |