Big GOP Donor Cites Patrick and Huffman
in Salvo on Senator Paxton Trial Snubbing
Capitol Inside
June 22, 2023
GOP megadonor Doug Deason took a shot at Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and his most powerful Texas Senate ally on Thursday in a social media protest post on the exclusion of State Senator Angela Paxton as a voting member on the court of impeachment that will decide whether her husband loses his job as attorney general.
Deason raised the specter of political posturing by GOP State Senator Joan Huffman of Houston and Democratic State Senator Royce West of Dallas in a tweet that also called Patrick out in the wake of a 28-3 vote late Wednesday night to approve the rules for Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial that the Senate set to begin September 5.
"SD8 Texans deserve to have a voice in this trial," Deason said on Twitter. "@AngelaPaxtonTX should be able to participate in the debate/votes. This was a poor decision by a majority of members on the Senate Rules Committee. Someone wants to be AG."
Huffman and West both served on a committee that Patrick appointed to develop a formal process for the Paxton impeachment proceeding. Republican State Senator Brian Birdwell of Granbury chaired the special panel which included GOP State Senators Brandon Creighton of Conroe, Pete Flores of Pleasanton and Phil King of Weatherford. State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa of McAllen and West were the committee's only two Democrats.
Paxton the lawmaker issued a statement on Thursday in defiance of her colleagues' decision to strip her of the right to vote and to deliberate in the impeachment proceeding.
"As I said earlier this week, I hold my constitutional obligations sacred, and my understanding of those obligations has not changed," Paxton said. "I will continue to do everything within my power to be a voice for the people of SD 8 in the Texas Senate."
Paxton announced her plans to fully participate in the impeachment trial on the night this week before the vote on the rules had been set initially. But the rules for the trial in Senate Resolution 35 prohibit her voting or deliberating with her colleagues even though she will be allowed to be on the floor and counted for the purpose of voting thresholds.
Paxton voted against the rules resolution with GOP State Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood and Democratic State Senator Sarah Eckhardt of Austin also opposed.
Deason's diving into the fray on the spurned lawmaker's behalf has the potential to backfire with Patrick if the powerful Senate leader happened to be wavering on a position to take in the Paxton impeachment case. Patrick's position, which he hasn't taken or has kept close to the vest, could determine the ultimate verdict in light of the massive power he wields with the GOP majority.
Paxton runs the risk of alienating the lieutenant governor by criticizing the process that led to her being declared to have a conflict of interest as the defendant's spouse. But Paxton didn't appear to foresee the sidelining when she revealed her decision to participate this week.
Deason is a wealthy Dallas investor who's contributed huge sums to both Patrick and Paxton the state lawyer while giving substantial amounts to Governor Greg Abbott and a long list of other Republican leaders and lawmakers here. Deason has been one of Donald Trump's biggest Texas givers as well.
A Texas Public Policy Foundation board member, Deason has been a major force in the push for school choice in Austin and around the state.
more to come ... |
