Trump and Potential Attorney General Pick Share A Common Bond: Both Have Been Impeached

In an appearance at the National Rifle Association Convention in Dallas, former President Donald Trump was asked if he would consider tapping Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Attorney General, and he said he would indeed, calling his longtime ally “a very talented guy,” and lauding Paxton’s tenure as Texas’ chief legal officer.

“i would, actually,” trump said saturday. “he’s very, very talented. i mean, we have a lot of people that want that one and will be very good at it. But he’s a talented guy.”

Heck, Trump and Paxton are practically cuddle-buddies, it seems. The Texas AG has gone to bat for his buddy, fighting an unsuccessful legal challenge to Trump’s 2020 election loss in four battleground states, The Texas Tribune reports. He was also on hand to speak at the pro-Trump rally that fueled the deadly U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021.

What a guy.

For his loyalty, Paxton was rewarded with a Trump endorsement from Trump as the 2022 primary was underway. That helped him win out over three prominent GOP challengers.

And of course, Trump defended Paxton last year when he was impeached for allegedly accepting bribes and using his office’s influence to help a wealthy friend and campaign donor. When Paxton was acquitted in the Texas Senate, Trump (quite naturally, of course) claimed credit, bragging about it on his Truth Social platform, where he also lambasted the proceedings and threatened political retribution toward Republicans who backed Paxton’s impeachment.

“i fought for him when he had the difficulty and we won,” he told kdfw. “he had some people really after him, and i thought it was really unfair.”

Jeesh. No wonder these two are friends. They both seem to like bribing people.

Trump’s remarks come as polls show the presumptive Republican nominee with a slight lead over President Joe Biden in a few battleground states.

Paxton’s political future has also brightened in recent months, especially after prosecutors agreed in March to drop three felony counts of securities fraud that had been hanging over his head for nearly his entire time as attorney general. With the nine-year-old case resolved and Paxton’s impeachment acquittal in the Senate last fall, any legal drama in his career has subsided significantly.

Nevertheless, Paxton is still shadier than a willow tree and critics remain unconvinced that he’s vindicated. He is still under federal investigation for the same allegations that got his impeachment off the ground in the first place, and he still faces a whistleblower lawsuit from former deputies who claim they were illegally fired for reporting Paxton to law authorities. Then there’s an additional lawsuit from the state bar that seeks to penalize him for his 2020 election challenge. Which, conveniently, relied on debunked claims of election fraud.

No wonder Trump loves this guy. They share so much in common.

But if Paxton is nominated, he will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, with Democrats holding a 51-49 majority. And one of the most prominent Republican members, Texas Sen. John Cornyn is an outspoken critic of Paxton, while Paxton continues to contemplate challenging Cornyn in 2026. But obviously since Cornyn is not among his fans in the Senate, it could mean Paxton may be in for a few challenges.

And Trump is also considering Paxton’s boss, Republican Governor Greg Abbott for a high-profile spot in his administration. Trump noted in February that Abbott is “absolutely” under consideration as a possible vice presidential candidate. But according to the Texas Tribune, Abbott has downplayed his interest in the job.

Well, I’m suitably depressed over either of these three (Trump, Abbott, Paxton) gaining higher political office. I need a “Bang head here” sign over my desk.

Ugh.