| | On May 27, 2023, a large coalition of [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and [[Moderate Republican]] voted to impeach Paxton on twenty charges, including suspicion of [[bribery]]. He has sought to refute all charges, which came forth in three days without Paxton permitted to present his side of the issue. The voted was prompted by Paxton's call for the resignation of House Speaker [[Dade Phelan]], a Moderate Republican from [[Beaumont]] who allegedly appeared inebriated on the House floor earlier in the week. The vote was a stunning 121 to 23, with 60 Republicans voting to impeach. The trial now heads to the Texas Senate, but Paxton was automatically suspended from his duties upon the House impeachment vote. His wife, [[Angela Paxton]], is a state senator who may vote on her husband's behalf unless she is compelled to recuse herself. The Senate is 19-12 Republican and the body is more conservative than the House. Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]] is the presiding officer of the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/27/texas-house-votes-to-impeach-republican-attorney-general-ken-paxton/70264110007/|title=Texas House votes to impeach Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton on articles including bribery|publisher=''[[USA Today]]''|date=May 27, 2023|accessdate=May 28, 2023}}</ref> | | On May 27, 2023, a large coalition of [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and [[Moderate Republican]] voted to impeach Paxton on twenty charges, including suspicion of [[bribery]]. He has sought to refute all charges, which came forth in three days without Paxton permitted to present his side of the issue. The voted was prompted by Paxton's call for the resignation of House Speaker [[Dade Phelan]], a Moderate Republican from [[Beaumont]] who allegedly appeared inebriated on the House floor earlier in the week. The vote was a stunning 121 to 23, with 60 Republicans voting to impeach. The trial now heads to the Texas Senate, but Paxton was automatically suspended from his duties upon the House impeachment vote. His wife, [[Angela Paxton]], is a state senator who may vote on her husband's behalf unless she is compelled to recuse herself. The Senate is 19-12 Republican and the body is more conservative than the House. Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]] is the presiding officer of the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/27/texas-house-votes-to-impeach-republican-attorney-general-ken-paxton/70264110007/|title=Texas House votes to impeach Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton on articles including bribery|publisher=''[[USA Today]]''|date=May 27, 2023|accessdate=May 28, 2023}}</ref> |