Texas Lt. Gov requests expense audit for Ken Paxton impeachment trial
Texas - Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick has requested an audit of all expenses related to the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton two days after he was acquitted.
According to Lt. Gov. Patrick, the request for the special audit from the State Auditors' Office includes expenses from both the House of Representatives and Senate.
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In a statement, he wrote. "To be clear, the goal is to determine the absolute total cost to the state of preparing for and conducting this trial from the beginning through its conclusion. This must detail all expenses, including but not limited to, investigators expenses, document production and assembly, attorney expenses, witness fees, travel, food and lodging. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Please determine and report on all expenses; if there are invoices outstanding, we seek to know what they are and when they will be received."
The audit will cover the financial expenses from March 1 to Oct. 15, 2023 and be provided to each member of the legislature upon completion.
Paxton was reinstated to his duties after being suspended from office in May when the GOP-controlled Texas House voted 121-23 to impeach him on 20 articles that include bribery and abuse of public trust. The Senate did not take up four of the articles.