Few supporters, opponents of Paxton rally outside the Capitol
AUSTIN, Texas - In an on-camera appearance Friday, Attorney General Ken Paxton called on his supporters to go to the Capitol Saturday as the House discussed his impeachment, urging them to speak out against the proceedings.
Saturday afternoon, there was nothing unusual on the Capitol Grounds. There were small groups of people both for and against Paxton. More people were in the House gallery, but everything stayed calm.
"He's a big President Trump supporter, and we're here to support him and stop this impeachment process that's going on," one Paxton supporter, who didn't want to give his name, said.
Those supporting Paxton say they don't believe the allegations against him.
"They're false," the man said.
"He's been reelected twice since these allegations were put out. They were put out in 2015," a Paxton supporter who didn't want to give her name said.
Right across from that group, there was a small group of people against Paxton, pushing for impeachment because of the allegations.
"There's too many of them," Lynn Tozser said. "I believe they're true."
Supporters of Paxton say it would hurt if he is impeached.
"He's a super guy, and every single day he gets up and files a suit for us on freedom of speech, freedom of guns, every single day he's filing suit on the people in Washington who are trying to take our rights away," one said.
However, others think the opposite.
"I was tired of hearing about all the things that Ken Paxton has done to trample my rights," Tozser said.
There was a brief exchange between the two sides.
"Republicans of conscience will do the right thing," one man said, pointing to his "IMPEACH" sign.
"No, they won't, it's politically motivated," another said.
"I'm concerned that even if they vote for the impeachment, I guess it has to move to another chamber, and I'm just worried it's going to lose its way, and I'm worried that our Texas legislators, maybe this is a dog and pony show, and they're not going to follow through, and I hope they do," Tozser said.
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Other politicians weighed in. Senator Ted Cruz released the following statement:
"What is happening to AG Ken Paxton is a travesty. For the last nine years, Ken has been the strongest conservative AG in the country. Bar none. No attorney general has battled the abuses of the Biden admin more ferociously—and more effectively—than has Paxton. Virtually all of the information in the articles was public BEFORE Election Day, and the voters chose to re-elect Ken Paxton by a large margin. In my view, the Texas Legislature should respect the choice of the Texas voters. That’s why the swamp in Austin wants him out. The special interests don’t want a steadfast conservative AG. I understand that people are concerned about Ken’s legal challenges. But the courts should sort them out."
Former President Donald Trump posted on TRUTH Social:
"The RINO Speaker of the House of Texas, Dade Phelan, who is barely a Republican at all and failed the test on voter integrity, wants to impeach one of the most hard working and effective Attorney Generals in the United States, Ken Paxton, who just won re-election with a large number of American Patriots strongly voting for him. You would think that any issue would have been fully adjudicated by the voters of Texas, especially when that vote was so conclusive… I love Texas, won it twice in landslides, and watched as many other friends, including Ken Paxton, came along with me. Hopefully Republicans in the Texas House will agree that this is a very unfair process that should not be allowed to happen or proceed—I will fight you if it does. It is the Radical Left Democrats, RINOS, and Criminals that never stop. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! Free Ken Paxton, let them wait for the next election!"