Ken Paxton, Texas’ Attorney General, is now suspended from office pending a trial in the state Senate.
Image source, ReutersTexas’ 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.
Mr 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.
Mr Paxton, aged 60, denies all the accusations against him.
Responding to a 121-23 vote in the House, 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.
“It was a politically motivated sham from the beginning.”
The House impeachment vote demonstrates a very public split between Texas Republicans.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump – who hopes to win a Republican nomination for the 2024 election – backed the embattled Texas attorney general.
Shortly before the vote, he wrote “free Ken Paxton” in a post on social media.