Mr. Murr, with his distinctive curling moustache, fended off many attacks on the process by returning to the seriousness of the charges against Mr. Paxton. “We will not tolerate corruption, bribery, abuse of office, retaliation and all the charges presented to you,” he said in his closing remarks. “I am confident that you will not tolerate in particular the defense of these most serious and serious wrongdoings.
Representative John Smithee, another Republican, took on the task of arguing against impeachment, focusing less on the accusations and more on the ways he saw the process as unfair. He said that insufficient evidence was presented and that lawmakers did not have enough time to consider such a consequential decision.
“This is what I call the hang them now and judge them later policy,” he said of the proceedings.
Representative Ann Johnson, a Democrat and former prosecutor, placed Mr. Paxton walked off the floor Saturday, saying he violated laws that could lead to jail time. He also described what he said were senior members of Mr. Paxton whose integrity forced them to speak out about his behavior. He said that an employee observed Mr. Paxton who asked for expensive renovations in his house to be taken care of by his friend and donor.
The employee, who was very worried about a situation that he considered to be wrong, quit his job, Ms. Johnson said. When he continued to be paid by Mr. Paxton, he said, the man returned the money to the campaign of Mr. Paxton. “This is the kind of integrity,” he said, that investigators discovered from the people who spoke, many of them Republicans.
House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican in his second session leading the House, presided over the proceedings and remained silent except to encourage behavior at the start. But because he saw it allowed to continue to happen, Mr. Phelan came under fire and continued attack from national Republican figures, especially allies of Mr. Trump. After the impeachment vote, Mr. Trump personally taunted Mr. Phelan. “What is coming to our country?” Mr. Trump asked on his social media network, Truth Social.
