AUSTIN, Texas — Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s historic impeachment trial begins inside the Texas Capitol on Sept. 5.
It’s not a civil or criminal trial, but a political one. But it will look like trials you’ve seen before, just in a different setting – the Senate chamber.
Paxton must attend. He or his team will enter a plea and he can choose whether to take the stand to testify.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will act as judge. The House board of managers are the prosecutors and members of the Texas Senate will be the jury.
Just like a in a criminal trial, the senators will hear arguments and testimony, and then deliberate before voting yes or no on each article of impeachment.
If there is a guilty verdict on even one of the 20 impeachment articles, Paxton will be removed from office.
Two-thirds of the senators must vote to convict. Paxton’s wife – Sen. Angela Paxton – won’t have much of a say in the process due to a conflict of interest. She must attend, but cannot vote or be part of closed-door deliberations.
So what’s it going to take to get a guilty verdict?
If all 12 Democrats vote to convict, nine of the remaining 18 Republican senators would have to support conviction to remove Paxton from office.
If Paxton is found not guilty, he can return to work.
The whole process will play out for the public to watch starting Sept. 5.