Texas House committee recommends impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton following investigation

A Texas House of Representatives investigative committee has recommended the impeachment of embattled state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The Texas House Investigative Committee voted unanimously 5-0 to pass articles of impeachment for Paxton on Thursday, according to FOX 4.

A vote on the recommendation could take place as early as Friday.

In Texas, a House impeachment would force Paxton out of office immediately pending a Senate trial.

The committee’s vote comes as Paxton is being investigated in an FBI corruption case on charges that the attorney general used his office to help a donor.

He was also indicted in 2015 on title and fraud charges, but has yet to face trial.

Several aides in Paxton’s office raised concerns that the attorney general was abusing the office’s power to help donor Nate Paul regarding unproven allegations of a conspiracy to steal $200 million from his properties.

Paxton also allegedly told staff members that he had an affair with a woman who worked for Paul.

In articles of impeachment, lawmakers accuse Paxton of abusing the Public Information Act, using his office to help a donor, firing employees who reported his ‘unlawful’ conduct, bribes -de-vin, deceptive public officials, etc.

Paxton has previously suggested the House inquiry was politically motivated.

Chris Hilton, an attorney in Paxton’s office, told reporters Thursday that House investigators were “fake”, “misleading” and “full of mistakes big and small.”

The Attorney General tweeted on Thursday: “Election cancellation begins behind closed doors.”