May 27, 2023
Friends,
Guided by my oath of office to defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law, I voted today to allow the Texas Senate to begin a public and transparent process to examine the evidence and determine guilt or innocence of the Attorney General of the State of Texas. Acting in a role similar to that of a grand jury, the question before the House was not to decide the outcome, but rather if there was enough evidence to allow a process to proceed.
In March, the Attorney General asked Texas taxpayers to pay $3,300,000 in a settlement for a wrongful termination lawsuit, stemming from allegations of abuse of power and obstruction of justice. The Attorney General did not provide any evidence to support this request, necessitating an investigation by the General Investigating Committee. It was during this investigation that allegations regarding 20 impeachable offenses arose, including abuse of office, bribery, misuse of public funds, and conspiracy.
I have reviewed the sworn statements from the whistleblowers, the testimony from the General Investigating Committee, and the precedents for impeachment proceedings in our state’s history. It is worth noting that the Texas House has twice in its history impeached a public official. In both instances, the impeachable conduct transpired prior to the official’s last election, consistent with the Texas Supreme Court’s ruling that the “Forgiveness Doctrine” does not apply to the procedure for removing a State officer. I implore others to review all of the related and compelling materials.
I commend the Office of the Attorney General for the work that has been done to fight for our liberties against the overreach of an oppressive federal government. It is imperative that the State of Texas employ an effective Attorney General, who, as the head law enforcement officer in the State, operates with unquestionable integrity. The trial that will now begin in the Senate will allow for full due process.
My decision in favor of allowing this process to proceed comes from my determination to ensure that my work at the Capitol on behalf of Texans is effective, ethical, and transparent, for a stronger Texas.
Gratefully,
Ellen
State Representative, House District 19
Supportive Information
General Investigating Committee Hearing Transcript of May 24, 2023:
https://house.texas.gov/_media/pdf/committees/House_Committee_on_General_Investigating_052423.pdf
General Investigating Committee Hearing Video of May 24, 2023. Go to “Archived Videos,” click on the row reading: 05/24/23 08:00 AM General Investigating 04h 07m
https://house.texas.gov/video-audio/committee-broadcasts/
General Investigating Committee Memo of May 26, 2023: Impeachment Process: Details House and Senate’s processes for impeachment, precedent, and a timeline of the investigation by the Committee:
https://house.texas.gov/_media/pdf/committees/GI-Impeachment-Memo.pdf
Section 665.081 of Texas’ Government Code:
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/pdf/GV.665.pdf#page=7
HR 2377: The Articles of Impeachment
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HR02377I.htm
Video of today’s discussion and vote in the House of Representatives will be posted here:
https://house.texas.gov/video-audio/chamber/