Republican State Senator Drew Springer has called for a reconsideration of the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Springer, who previously voted to acquit Paxton of all charges, now believes Paxton’s decision to stop fighting a whistleblower lawsuit is an admission of guilt.
“At this stage, and the point of this letter, I am asking the Senate whether there is a legal mechanism to reopen the impeachment proceedings,” Springer wrote in a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the state Senator posted on Twitter/X. “Failure to at least consider this possibility runs the risk of AG Paxton making a mockery of the Senate.”
According to a Dallas Morning News report, Paxton announced last week that his office would no longer fight a whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former agency executives who were fired in 2020 after reporting Paxton to the FBI over bribery and corruption allegations.
Last year, Paxton agreed with the whistleblowers to settle the lawsuit for $3.3 million to be paid to them. That payment required approval by the Legislature, which led to the House’s impeachment vote.
Paxton said he had been vindicated by his acquittal in the impeachment trial, so he would stop fighting the lawsuit. He also said he would accept whatever damages were awarded to the former officials to prevent taxpayer money from being spent on the case.
“He can’t accept the whistleblower’s claims against him while touting that he’s innocent against those very claims,” said Springer, who is not seeking reelection.
In a statement to the Texas Tribune, Paxton dismissed Springer’s letter.
“Springer has to leave the Senate because he was such a bad Senator, wasn’t going to get re-elected, and needed a job,” Paxton said. “Why should anyone listen to his sour grapes.”
In a radio interview, Springer said he would still be speaking out if he ran for re-election and that he was leaving the Senate to “make an honest living.”
“I guess I didn’t realize how to profit on public service like [Paxton] has,” Springer told the host, Mark Davis.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Article 15 of the Texas Constitution contains no provision for reopening or reconsidering impeachment proceedings.
Paxton has already endorsed Carrie de Moor to replace Springer in the Senate. Springer has endorsed Brent Hagenbuch, the former Denton County GOP leader; she is also endorsed by Patrick.
In the radio interview, Springer said that being endorsed by Paxton has no real impact.
“I just don’t think that the voters respect somebody that used a fake Uber account to cheat on his wife,” He said.
