Ken Paxton impeachment: State senator calls for reopening

Could Paxton face a second impeachment trial?

Could Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton face a second impeachment trial? That is what a Republican state senator is pushing for, who voted previously for Paxton's acquittal.

AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas state senator is calling for reopening Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment.

In a post on X, State Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) urged his colleagues in the Texas Senate to consider reopening Paxton's impeachment following his efforts to end a whistleblower lawsuit against him.

"Paxton has not only admitted to violating the articles of impeachment, but he is exposing Texas taxpayers to a settlement of WELL OVER $3.3M. Texans deserve the truth!," the post read.

Springer previously voted for Paxton's acquittal in September and says he believed it was the right thing to do based on the evidence and record at the time. However, "recent developments have made me question whether AG Paxton and his legal team misled the Senate," he said.

Last week, in a court filing, Paxton said he would no longer contest allegations and accept any judgment in the lawsuit filed against him by four former employees who reported him to the FBI.

The whistleblowers, Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and David Maxwell, claimed that Paxton abused the power of his office to help himself and political donor Nate Paul, and that they were unjustly terminated for reporting the attorney general to the FBI.

The claims prompted the impeachment trial against Paxton last September. Paxton was acquitted on all 16 charges.