Tony Buzbee requests Senate to force Texas House to disclose info for Paxton impeachment trial
HOUSTON - The prominent Houston attorney representing Attorney General Ken Paxton has requested information from the Texas House in what he calls a "sham investigation".
Tony Buzbee and fellow Houston lawyer Dan Cogdell are working together on the defense team for Paxton.
The Texas Senate announced his impeachment trial will be on Sept. 5 at 9 a.m. Sept. 5.
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Buzbee released a statement on Wednesday regarding the impeachment and asking for the House to share information he says they are legally required to disclose.
Suspended Texas AG Ken Paxton opts against testifying in Senate trial
Ken Paxton, the suspended Texas Attorney General, expresses frustration over being unable to present evidence in his defense during his impeachment by the House and decides against testifying in his Senate trial. Debate arises over whether his refusal to testify undermines claims of innocence.
The statement reads:
"At the direction of Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, and with the guidance of lawyers from the Obama Administration Biden Justice Department, the House voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton after what can only be described as a secretive and now discredited sham investigation. Now the House Managers appointed by Phelan, including Jeff Leach and Morgan Meyer, continue to disregard individual rights and due process guaranteed by the United States and the Texas Constitution by withholding basic information they are legally required to disclose. We have demanded this information to which Attorney General Ken Paxton is entitled. In every court in the country, this type of information would be freely exchanged by prosecutors, and we have demanded that it be produced. The House has ignored our demands and the Attorney General’s constitutional rights.
Due to these refusals, the House Managers have abandoned the rule of law and have demonstrated nothing but contempt and disrespect for the Texas Senate as they openly mock the process and rules adopted by the upper chamber.
The Texas Senate has clearly stated that it intends this process to be fair. However, because of the intransigence of Phelan’s House Managers and their refusal to disclose documents as required by law, it is imperative that the Senate take immediate action to force the House Managers to follow the law. The House voted to impeach Attorney General Paxton without any evidence and now they are desperate to manufacture new charges; apparently, they want to saddle the Senate with weeks of testimony over baseless allegations. While the House is trying to cover their tracks, I hope the Senate will embrace transparency and order Phelan’s disciples to follow the law and disclose required information to the defense.
That’s why I have asked Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to enter a strict and comprehensive scheduling order to set pretrial deadlines that will govern this proceeding. Phelan’s Managers are openly mocking the intent of the Texas Senate to have a fair and open proceeding, and are clearly withholding information that would routinely be disclosed. It is critical the Senate enforce our constitutional guardrails to prevent further institutional damage inflicted by the Texas House."