Southwest
Texas lawmaker calls for AG Ken Paxton impeachment inquiry to be reopened
A Texas state senator wants to reopen the impeachment case against state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
State Sen. Drew Springer, a Republican from Muenster, urged his colleagues in the Texas Senate to take a second look at impeachment charges against Paxton after the attorney general said he would not contest allegations in a whistleblower lawsuit.
“He cannot admit guilt while claiming innocence,” Springer wrote on X. “I urge the Lt. Gov & my Senate colleagues to consider reopening Paxton’s impeachment. Paxton has not only admitted to violating the articles of impeachment, but he is exposing Texas taxpayers to a settlement of WELL OVER $3.3M. Texans deserve the truth!”
Paxton was acquitted in September of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption and unfitness for office. He had faced accusations that he misused his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul — allegations that stemmed from a lawsuit filed by four former employees who reported him to the FBI.
TEXAS AG PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT CHARGES: ‘THE TRUTH PREVAILED’
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The whistleblowers — Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and David Maxwell — claimed that they were unjustly terminated for reporting Paxton.
Springer voted for Paxton’s acquittal on 16 impeachment charges at trial in September. However, he now says that “recent developments have made me question whether AG Paxton and his legal team misled the Senate.”
TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, ARGUES ‘ESTABLISHMENT RINOS’ WANT TO ‘UNDO’ ELECTION
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, center, and legal counsel Lana Myers, right, listen to defense and prosecution attorneys during the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Sept. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
What happened? Last week, the Office of the Attorney General said in a court filing it could “obtain a verdict in this case in its favor,” but instead moved to settle the lawsuit to “stop the self-aggrandizing political weaponization of our State’s courts by rogue employees who have what seems to be a monomaniacal goal to undermine the will of the voters,” FOX 7 Austin reported.
“Doing so precludes further unwarranted expense to the people of the State of Texas as well as the disruption to the State’s principal law enforcement arm — the time and personnel of which are more appropriately dedicated to the business of the State of Texas and not the personal, political agenda of four rogue, former employees,” the filing states.
EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON
Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, sits with his attorneys Tony Buzbee, left, and Dan Cogdell during his impeachment trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Sept. 5, 2023. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool)
In the filing, Paxton stated, “OAG hereby elects not to contest any issue of fact in this case, as to the claim or damages.”
Springer argues this amounts to an admission of guilt that should be reviewed by the legislature.
“While AG Paxton claims this decision is not an admission of guilt, the fact of the matter is it is an admission of guilt. He can’t accept the whistleblower’s claims against him while touting that he’s innocent against those very claims,” Springer said.
The Office of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read the full article from Here
A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
-
A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoWoman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoWhere to watch Houston Astros vs Detroit Tigers: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 26
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours ago
I own a Turkish Restaurant in San Francisco. Turkey’s World Cup match here has changed my business.
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoAustralia advances at World Cup, how to buy Australia soccer tickets
-
Miami, FL2 hours ago2 detained after police pursuit ends with bailout, neighborhood search in NW Miami-Dade – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoDelta flight returns to Logan after smoke scare in cockpit – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoPat Surtain II Gets More Bad News Amid Broncos’ Uncertainty
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoThe World Cup 2026 Pride Match between Egypt and Iran that Seattle hopes can ‘unite football community’
