State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, will be among the managers who will try to convince the Texas Senate to convict Attorney General Ken Paxton of impeachment counts alleging repeated corruption.
“It would be inappropriate to comment on the case itself before its resolution,” Moody said in a statement. “But what I can say is that I intend to approach it ethically, diligently, and professionally, allowing the evidence — not partisanship — to dictate the process. Chairman (Andrew) Murr, Vice Chair (Ann) Johnson, and the rest of the House managers are people of impeccable character who I’m confident will do the same.”
The Texas House of Representatives on Sunday selected 12 managers to present the impeachment case to the Senate. Along with Moody, Murr, R-Junction, and Johnson, D-Houston, the other managers are Reps. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; Oscar Longoria, D-Mission; Morgan Meyer, R-University Park; Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park; Cody Vasut, R-Angleton; David Spiller, R-Jacksboro; and Erin Gámez, D-Brownsville.
The House voted 121-23 on Saturday to impeach Paxton on 20 articles alleging bribery and abuse of office. All five House members representing El Paso – Moody, Mary Gonzalez, Lina Ortega, Claudia Ordaz and Eddie Morales Jr. – voted to impeach the attorney general.
The Senate will try the impeachment articles. If two-thirds of the 31 senators convict him on even one of the articles, Paxton will be permanently removed and prohibited from holding elected office in the future. He is temporarily suspended from office until the Senate acts.
State Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, declined comment on the impeachment trial, saying senators will have to take an oath of impartiality in the trial.
No date has yet been set for the trial. One of the senators is Paxton’s wife, Angela. She has not said if she will vote in his impeachment trial.
If Paxton is convicted, Gov. Greg Abbott will appoint a replacement. All statewide elected officials in Texas are Republicans.
Paxton – who denies the allegations – was first elected in 2014 and re-elected twice, most recently six months ago. He has never won more than 37% of the general election vote in heavily Democratic El Paso.
