Wednesday, 27 September, 2023
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Trump Texas ally impeached by fellow Republicans

Texas' Republican-run House of Representatives has voted to impeach state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, who is accused of bribery and abuse of public trust.

Paxton, an ally of former President Donald Trump, is now suspended from office pending a trial in the Senate.

A two-thirds vote in the upper chamber - where Republicans also dominate - is required to permanently expel him.

Paxton, aged 60, denies all the accusations against him.

Responding to a 121-23 vote in the House on Saturday, Mr Paxton said in a statement: "The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just.

The impeachment vote was on 20 articles, which also include accusations of improperly aiding a wealthy political donor and conducting a sham investigations against whistleblowers.

"Attorney General Paxton continuously and blatantly violated laws, rules, policies and procedures," House Republican David Spiller said.

The House vote makes Mr Paxton the first state official in Texas to be impeached in almost 50 years.

Texas' Republican Governor Greg Abbott has the powers to appoint an interim state attorney general even before the Senate trial is concluded.

Paxton is well-known in America for his high-profile litigation campaigns.