Texas spent more than $5.1 million on the impeachment trial of state Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2023, according to a state audit released this week.
The special audit, conducted by the Texas State Auditor鈥檚 Office, that 86% of the expenses 鈥� about $4.4 million 鈥� were spent on contracted professional services, including attorneys and investigators. The remaining costs covered salaries, legislative per diems, travel and supplies.
The Texas House of Representatives accounted for the majority of costs, spending about $4.4 million in total, while the Texas Senate spent $435,000, according to the audit. The Office of the Attorney General reported expenses of $229,000.
In 2020, several former employees of Paxton's office accused the AG of abusing his office to benefit a political donor, obstructing justice and retaliating against whistleblowers within his agency. The Texas House with bipartisan approval in May 2023.
During Paxton鈥檚 impeachment trial later that year, the Texas House presented evidence and witness testimony detailing the , while Paxton鈥檚 defense team argued that the charges were politically motivated. After weeks of testimony and deliberation, the Texas Senate ultimately voted to , allowing him to return to office.
Shortly after the trial concluded, the state auditor鈥檚 office began conducting related to the impeachment proceedings. Records obtained by the Texas Newsroom in 2023 revealed of more than $4.2 million.
In a statement on Friday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who requested the audit, called the trial an 鈥渋ll-fated political gambit.鈥�
鈥淲hat a complete waste of money!鈥� Patrick said. 鈥淣ow that taxpayers have the facts 鈥� we can put this shameful epoch of our state鈥檚 history behind us.鈥�
