Trump celebrates Ken Paxton’s acquittal – with a meme

Former President Donald Trump praised Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for surviving his impeachment.

Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I want to thank the great Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, who served as judge in the Ken Paxton trial, and the state’s Republican senators, for showing ‘great professionalism and great fairness. »

“Attorney General Paxton has been fully acquitted of all 16 articles of impeachment presented by the Texas Republican House. It is time for President Dade Phelan to resign after pushing this shameful sham! he added.

“Congratulations to Attorney General Ken Paxton on this great and historic Texas-wide VICTORY. I also want to congratulate his wonderful wife and family for having to go through this, and WIN!

The former president also reposted a meme from a Truth Social follower describing the moment then-President George Bush was informed in hushed tones by White House chief of staff Andrew Card to the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001.

The text reads: “They just acquitted Ken Paxton. »

The former president then posted: “Congratulations to the great people of Texas and the State Senate for rejecting POLITICAL PERSECUTION and respecting the integrity of our elections. We should choose our elected officials by voting, not by militarizing government. This concerns banana republics and third world countries. Attorney General Ken Paxton can now get back to work. He is one of the BEST!

Mr. Paxton was acquitted of 16 articles of impeachment presented to the State Senate.

A jury of 30 state senators, made up of 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats, voted Saturday morning to acquit Mr. Paxton on the articles accusing him of abuse of power, corruption and other charges.

Mr Paxton, who was elected attorney general in 2015, will now return to office after none of the articles received the two-thirds majority needed for conviction.

The Texas House impeached Mr. Paxton in May on 20 articles — four of which were not voted on by the Senate on Saturday but were later rejected in a follow-up vote.

The impeachment attempt stems from accusations by his former aides that Mr. Paxton abused his power to benefit himself and a Texas real estate investor. They alleged that Mr. Paxton gave special treatment to the real estate investor in exchange for help financing home renovations and engaging in an extramarital affair.

During the Senate trial, prosecutors and the defense spent nine days in Senate chambers presenting evidence and testimony in a historic trial that generated controversy among far-right conservatives.

Mr. Paxton, an ally of Donald Trump, received support from right-wing politicians like Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene throughout the impeachment process, who said the trial was a “parody” and a ” witch hunt “.

Mr. Trump supported Mr. Paxton, calling the indictment “shameful” and accusing “RINO” Texas officials of pursuing the trial for political reasons alone.