Three-Point Shots, Vol. 1, No. 13: Paxton Impeachment Week 2

The impeachment of Ken Paxton raises questions that have not been addressed in over a century – and plenty of new ones. The team rosters are being finalized.

         First, Your Moment of Zen … Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, photographed August 21, 2021.

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         Welcome to another edition of Three-Point Shots, a part of my Life Its Ownself Substack page. If you enjoy reading it, please 1) hit the Like button, 2) subscribe to the Life Its Ownself, and 3) share it with others in the link below. Also, comments welcome and encouraged.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

         Today is the 79^th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of occupied France that was the beginning of the end of World War II. It was the greatest air and sea assault of all time. By the end of that day, 175,000 Allied soldiers and paratroopers had landed in Normandy, 58,000 of them Americans. Approxinately 10,000 Allies died that day, including 2,500 Americans. Let us not forget.

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“The word was out. The bosses had enough of Nicky.

They had enough. How much were they gonna take?”

Robert DeNiro, in Martin Scorsese’s classic “Casino”

(Frank Vincent and Joe Pesci in Casino.)

1.    The House Brings in the Big Game Hunters.

         Last Wednesday, the House impeachment managers announced that they were bringing two Texas legal legends to prosecute the case against Impeached Twice-Indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton. Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin are giants in the Texas legal community with more than 100 years of legal experience between them. They have represented such high-profile clients as Tom DeLay, Kay Bailey Hutchison and East Texas millionaire J. Howard Marshall.

(Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin [via the Houston Chronicle])

         They join an “in-House” team of 12 managers which is pretty impressive in its own right.

         My take: The House has brought in the big game hunters. They will raise the visibility and credibility of the impeachment team.

2.    NBAQ (Never Before Asked Question) #1: What Will the Senate’s Rules Be for the Impeachment?

         We don’t yet know that the rules will be. A special Senate committee to fashion them was named by Lite Guv Dan Patrick last Monday. They are: Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury. Its vice chair is Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen. The other five members are Sens. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe; Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton; Joan Huffman, R-Houston; Phil King, R-Weatherford; and Royce West, D-Dallas. Of the seven, only Birdwell and Flores are not attorneys.

         My take: Two things to remember. First, the Senate’s job is not to advocate for Paxton. He is entitled to a fair trial, with plenty of evidence for both guilt and innocence laid out for the senators – and the people of Texas – to consider in forming a judgment.

         Second, that judgment does not have to be “beyond a reasonable doubt.” This is not a criminal trial, but rather a proceeding to determine his fitness to continue in office.

         The House, meanwhile, has named a group of 12 impeachment “managers,” who will present the case for Paxton impeachment. They include: Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, chair; Rep. Ann JohnsonD-Houston, vice chair; and Reps. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; Joe Moody, D-El Paso; Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; Oscar Longoria, D-Mission; Morgan Meyer, R-University Park; Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park; Cody Vasut, R-Angleton; David Spiller, R-Jacksboro; and Erin Gámez, D-Brownsville.

         My take: The seven additions to the original committee – Moody, Canales, Leach, Meyer, Cain, Vasut, and Gámez – bring experience and gravitas to the impeachment managers team.

         Ladies and gentlemen, those are your starting lineups. Please rise for the National Anthem.

3.    Abbott Names John Scott As Acting Attorney General

         It only took Greg Abbott a few days to decide that Paxton’s hand-picked successor, Brent Webster, was incapable of separating his loyalty to Ken Paxton from his duty to the State. Besides, Webster has … history. Last Wednesday, Abbott appointed John Scott, who’d served as an assistant AG under Abbott, as the interim AG. Scott previously served Abbott as chief operating officer of the massive Texas Health and Human Services Commission and as Secretary of State. As secretary of state, he was Texas’s chief election officer, and also amassed a … history. Being the caretaker Attorney General will be a breeze after that, as long as he doesn’t get any ideas about ridding Texas of illegal voters or suing voting machine manufacturers. He’s there for four months, tops; it can wait.

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         Should Paxton Resign? … He has gone to great lengths over the last decade to make sure his alleged misdeeds, if any, were not exposed in the bright light of a lengthy trial. A Senate impeachment “trial” later this summer would expose all that, and in significant detail. What are the chances Paxton would rather resign than face all that? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

         Can Baseball Save Itself? … The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich is optimistic about the changes made for this year.

Have a great week!