Octopus Overlords

The pretrial motions required a majority vote. The most support a motion to dismiss received was 10 out of 30 senators.

malchior wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:15 pm Just to break out the conviction math. It is in the article but a crib sheet seems handy anyway.

There are 30 senators.
They need 20 votes (2/3) to convict and remove Paxton.

12 Democrats (going to assume they'll vote to convict but who knows!)
18 Republicans

6 Republicans voted to dismiss all charges
10 Republicans in combinations voted to dismiss at least one charge

This implies 12 Republicans are open to convicting on at least one charge at the outset.

Paxton needs to peel off 4 from that 12 to survive this. This assumes no Democratic party drama which is always in the mix. I thought conviction was a fait accompli but maybe it's...not? It might end up being pretty bruising.

malchior wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:22 pm The wheedling behind the scenes must be interesting.

malchior wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:22 pm Right! Quick math was off by one. In any case, I really thought he was a goner but needing ~50% of the remaining Republicans to convict is no sure bet. It isn't a party chock full of moral/ethical people - especially in Texas. The wheedling behind the scenes must be interesting.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:43 pm

malchior wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:22 pm Right! Quick math was off by one. In any case, I really thought he was a goner but needing ~50% of the remaining Republicans to convict is no sure bet. It isn't a party chock full of moral/ethical people - especially in Texas. The wheedling behind the scenes must be interesting.

Is the state GOP leadership supporting removal? If so I think that would help quite a bit.

But yeah, this is the kind of thing that seems like it should be a slam dunk but...honestly my opinion of the GOP is so low at this point that I'm still mildly surprised that the odds of removal are as high as they are.

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 5:43 pm Isn't this only happening because Paxton has made many enemies among fellow Republicans?

It's not like the Texas GOP came down with a case of ethical probity.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 4:19 pm I've reached a point where I no longer see Texas and Florida as representative of the US. They're so far outside the norms that they're more of a freak outlier.

The scary part, though, is that they are representative of what the US could become over the next few years.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 10:30 am I hope the Texas populace is outraged. I don't even live in the country let alone state and it is an affront to justice.

Roman wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 10:11 am Read a post over on Twitter today saying that Trump and friends threatened to primary Texas Senate members with huge $$ backing if they voted to impeach Paxton.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 6:12 pm The actual positions of the population don't seem to have much bearing on such things lately.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 10:30 am I hope the Texas populace is outraged. I don't even live in the country let alone state and it is an affront to justice.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 2:54 pm There's a big difference between random "rich and powerful person" and "attorney general".

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges has been set for April 15.

State District Judge Andrea Beall scheduled the trial during a hearing Monday morning in Houston.

Paxton was indicted on the charges over eight years ago, months into his first term as the state’s top law enforcement official. The charges stem from accusations that in 2011 he tried to solicit investors in a McKinney technology company without disclosing that it was paying him to promote its stock. Paxton has pleaded not guilty.

The trial has been delayed for years over a number of pretrial disputes, including the venue. The case began in Paxton’s native Collin County but was moved to more neutral territory in Harris County at the prosecution’s urging.