AUSTIN, Texas (AP) 鈥� The impeachment trial of moved Friday into the hands of a Senate jury that was deciding whether the embattled Republican should be removed from office over corruption allegations that have shadowed him for years.
The jury of mostly GOP senators met for about eight hours, in secret, without emerging for a vote. Deliberations were set to resume Saturday.
The deliberations pushed Paxton, whose three terms in office have been marred by scandal and , closer to a defining test of his political durability after an extraordinary impeachment that was and has widened party fractures in America鈥檚 biggest red state. For nearly a decade, Paxton has elevated his national profile by rushing his office into polarizing courtroom battles across the U.S., winning acclaim from Donald Trump and the GOP鈥檚 hard right.
Making one final appeal to convict Texas' top lawyer, impeachment mangers who included Paxton's former friends cast him as a crook. The time has come, they argued, for the state and the Republican Party to sever ties.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 keep public officials from abusing the powers of their office, then frankly no one can,鈥� Republican state Rep. Andrew Murr, who helped lead the impeachment in the Texas House, said in his closing arguments.
If convicted, Paxton would become Texas鈥� first statewide official convicted on impeachment charges in more than 100 years. A verdict could arrive later Friday.
In an angry and defiant rebuttal, Paxton lawyer Tony Buzbee unleashed attacks on a wide-ranging cast of figures both inside and outside the Texas Capitol, mocking a Texas Ranger who warned Paxton he was risking indictment and another accuser who cried on the witness stand.
Leaning into divisions among Republicans, Buzbee portrayed the impeachment as a plot orchestrated by an old guard of GOP rivals. He singled out , the nephew of former President George W. Bush who challenged Paxton in the 2022 Republican primary, punctuating a blistering closing argument that questioned the integrity of FBI agents and railed against Texas鈥� most famous political dynasty.
鈥淚 would suggest to you this is a political witch hunt,鈥� Buzbee said. 鈥淚 would suggest to you that this trial has displayed, for the country to see, a partisan fight within the Republican Party.鈥�
Paxton, who until Friday had attended only the first few hours of the trial, sat at the defense table and sipped from a cup, occasionally picking up his cellphone.
His return did not go unnoticed.
鈥淗e hasn鈥檛 even bothered to be here for the whole trial,鈥� Murr said. 鈥淐learly he thinks he might get away with this.鈥�
Sitting across the room from Paxton was his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, who was required to attend the whole trial but on her husband's political fate.
In the Senate gallery were three of Paxton's former deputies , accusing him of breaking the law to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. All of them testified, included the former Texas Ranger, David Maxwell.
Their whistleblower accounts launched an FBI investigation that will continue regardless of the verdict. Federal prosecutors investigating Paxton took testimony in August before a grand jury in San Antonio according to two people with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of secrecy rules around the proceeding.
One said the grand jury heard from Drew Wicker, Paxton鈥檚 former personal aide. At the impeachment trial, Wicker testified that he once heard a contractor tell Paxton he would need to check with 鈥淣ate鈥� about the cost of renovations to the attorney general鈥檚 Austin home.
was indicted in June on charges of making false statements to banks to obtain more than $170 million in loans. He has pleaded not guilty.
During closing arguments, the defense told senators there was either no evidence for the charges or that there wasn't enough to rise beyond a reasonable doubt. The House impeachment managers, by contrast, walked through specific documents and played clips of testimony by the deputies who reported Paxton to the FBI.
The last word of closing arguments came from one of Paxton's former friends, Republican state Rep. Jeff Leach, who said he "loved" his onetime political mentor and that they attended church together. Still, he told senators, Paxton deserved punishment.
One of the impeachment articles centers on an alleged extramarital affair Paxton had with Laura Olson, who worked for Paul. It alleges that Paul鈥檚 hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe. She was but ultimately never testified. Another article alleges the developer also bribed Paxton by paying for his home renovations.
The verdict will be decided by 30 of the 31 state senators, most of them Republicans. Convicting Paxton on any of the 16 articles of impeachment requires a two-thirds majority, meaning if all 12 Democrats vote to convict, they would need nine Republicans to join them.
Deliberations will be done privately. Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said the trial will continue through the weekend if necessary.
Paxton received renewed support from Trump on Thursday, as the former president blasted the impeachment as 鈥渟hameful鈥� in a social media post.
For years, Trump has fanned the flames of his supporters鈥� distrust of the FBI in the face of legal troubles. Buzbee leaned into those misgivings Friday and his words at times appeared aimed at an audience beyond the senators in the room.
鈥淒o we believe that the FBI is always on the up and up?鈥� he said. 鈥淥r can we all agree that sometimes they pick and they choose who they go after?鈥�
Like Trump, Paxton faces an array of legal troubles. Besides the for the same allegations that gave rise to his impeachment, he also faces a over his effort to overturn the 2020 election and has yet to stand trial on state dating to 2015.
He pleaded not guilty in the state case, but his lawyers have said removal from office might to a plea agreement.
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Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press reporter Juan A. Lozano contributed to this report from Austin.
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Find AP鈥檚 full coverage of the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at:
Paul J. Weber, Jim Vertuno And Jake Bleiberg, The Associated Press
