AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ‘s impeachment trial on abuse of energy fees could be in the fingers of the jury as soon as this week, the presiding officer mentioned Monday.
The 2nd week of the historical court cases started with testimony from any other of Paxton’s former aides who reported him to the FBI in 2020 and accused the Republican of misusing his place of work to lend a hand a donor. Paxton, who has pleaded now not responsible, was again not in the Texas Senate for the testimony.
The trial would possibly not achieve a 3rd week. Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who’s presiding over the trial, mentioned each and every aspect has to this point used about part its allocated time for arguments and that the case could pass to the jury later this week.
Patrick additionally mentioned there might be not more days off till the trial is resolved, elevating the likelihood {that a} decision could come over the weekend.
The jury is the Republican-controlled state Senate, the place Paxton was once as soon as a senator prior to changing into legal professional common in 2015 and nonetheless has conservative allies. His spouse, state Sen. Angela Paxton, could also be one in all 31 senators in the chamber but is not allowed a vote in the trial.
Paxton was once indicted on felony securities fraud charges in 2015 and has been under FBI investigation since an bizarre rise up by means of his most sensible deputies 5 years later. Taking the witness stand Monday, Mark Penley, a kind of former deputies, was once the most recent to recount allegations of Paxton pressuring them to lend a hand a neighborhood developer named Nate Paul, who had given Paxton a $25,000 marketing campaign contribution and was once beneath FBI investigation.
Paul, who was once indicted this summer season on charges of defrauding banks, had accused FBI brokers and a pass judgement on of wrongdoing. Penley mentioned he sought after no a part of it.
“That we would investigate a federal magistrate judge, and federal prosecutors, is insane,” Penley said.
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Find AP’s complete protection of the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at: https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton