Bill Text: TX HR16 | 2023 | 88th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extending a formal apology to Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-10-11 - Referred to State Affairs [HR16 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR16-Introduced.html
| 88S30457 BPG-F | ||
| By: Tinderholt | H.R. No. 16 | |
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| WHEREAS, On September 16, 2023, the Texas Senate acquitted | ||
| Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment | ||
| considered in a two-week trial; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Senate also voted to dismiss four other articles | ||
| of impeachment that the chamber agreed to set aside prior to the | ||
| trial, which stemmed from secretive, rushed, and flawed proceedings | ||
| in the Texas House in May 2023; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Just two days after the House General Investigating | ||
| Committee revealed that it had spent months surreptitiously | ||
| scrutinizing the actions of Attorney General Paxton, it recommended | ||
| impeachment; it failed to put witnesses under oath during its | ||
| investigation and then failed to follow the rules of evidence in | ||
| alleging wrongdoing, basing its case on hearsay that would never be | ||
| admissible in a court of law; Attorney General Paxton was not given | ||
| the opportunity to defend himself to the Investigating Committee; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, The House General Investigating Committee failed to | ||
| provide House members with adequate time or means to evaluate the | ||
| information it presented; the first impeachment of a statewide | ||
| official in over a century proceeded at warp speed, and despite a | ||
| complete lack of evidence, within two days, the House voted to | ||
| impeach, causing Attorney General Paxton's automatic suspension | ||
| from office pending a trial in the Senate; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In September, the fair and deliberative Senate trial | ||
| exposed the haste, flimsiness, and unfairness of the House | ||
| impeachment process, and Attorney General Paxton was duly | ||
| vindicated; the impeachment process in the House was a debacle that | ||
| undermined its legitimacy and integrity, and in order to restore | ||
| public faith, it must make amends for the grievous errors | ||
| committed; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
| Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby extend a formal apology to | ||
| Attorney General Ken Paxton; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Attorney General Ken Paxton as an expression of | ||
| sincere contrition by the Texas House of Representatives. | ||
