Texas state GOP Sen. Angela Paxton released a statement regarding the acquittal of her husband, state Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, on Monday, stating that she agreed with the upper chamber’s decision.
Angela Paxton was not allowed to vote on her husband’s acquittal due to a conflict of interest, but she was allowed to be present in the state chamber during the trial. The 16 articles against Ken Paxton were dismissed on Saturday after the chamber voted against conviction.
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“I wholeheartedly affirm the Senate’s decision to acquit. Although prohibited from voting on the articles of impeachment, I was present as a member of the court for the entire trial, and I listened carefully to every word of testimony on behalf of my constituents,” Angela Paxton said. “Had I been allowed to vote, I would have cast my vote with those who acquitted on each and every article.”
The state senator thanked her supporters for the love the couple had received after the verdict, stating that she was “incredibly grateful” for the encouragement and support. Before the trial began, Angela Paxton announced her bid for a fourth term in the state legislature.
The trial was centered on the attorney general’s alleged legal help to real estate developer Nate Paul, who, prosecutors claimed, paid Ken Paxton back by doing expensive home renovations at the couple’s residence in Austin and hiring a woman whom Ken Paxton was seeing despite being married to the state senator.
Angela Paxton was a central part of the trial despite not playing a visible role in the events in question. The Paxtons have been married since 1986 and have four children.
The conservative was asked to recuse herself in June due to her connection to her husband. However, she refused and stated that she would attend every day of the trial as a member of the state’s upper chamber.
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“Each time I was elected, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of this great state, and Texas law compels each member of the Senate to attend when the Senate meets as a court of impeachment,” Angela Paxton said at the time. “As a member of the Senate, I hold these obligations sacred, and I will carry out my duties, not because it’s easy but because the Constitution demands it and because my constituents deserve it.”
The state senator was one of just 19 Republican senators, and 21 senators were needed to convict. He had been impeached by the state House in May, which is also dominated by Republicans. Although Ken Paxton was acquitted by the state legislature, he could still face legal challenges in court pertaining to the charges.