CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS
Paxton acquitted on all impeachment counts
Ken Paxton has been reinstated as Texas attorney general after the Texas Senate on Sept.
16 acquitted him of charges of bribery and misuse of office. Only two Republican senators joined the 12 Democrats in voting to convict him of some of the 16 charges heard by the Senate, with four other charges dismissed by the Senate, The Dallas Morning News reported.
“Today, the truth prevailed,” Paxton said in a statement issued immediately after the verdict.
“The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over the impeachment trial, scolded the House for voting overwhelmingly for impeachment of the embattled attorney general in late May. House Speaker Dade Phelan responded that Patrick was “confessing his bias.”
“The inescapable conclusion is that today’s outcome appears to have been orchestrated from the start, cheating the people of Texas of justice,” Phelan said.
Paxton is not out of legal hot water yet. He faces a trial in March on an eight-year-old indictment for securities fraud.
He is also the focus of a federal probe into his relationship with developer Nate Paul that led to some of the impeachment charges.
Out-of-state firefighters head to Texas
As drought and high temperatures continue to contribute to wildfires in Texas, more than 1,400 firefighters from 38 states and territories have arrived this year to help with the response, the Texas Tribune reported.
The number of wildfires the Texas A&M Forest Service responded to in July and August skyrocketed to 163 in July and 501 in August, far above the average since 2005 of 103 in July and 151 in August.
“Drought development and the number of consecutive 100-plus degree days has contributed to critically dry vegetation across much of the state, which is supportive of wildfire activity,” said Erin O’Connor, program specialist for the Texas A&M Forest Service. As of Sunday, the service reported six active wildfires, most of which are nearly contained. Recent rainfall has lowered the state fire level from 4 to 3.
Lost Maples ranked as having best fall foliage The leaves will begin to change in coming weeks, and the Austin American-Statesman reports a Central Texas natural area has been ranked as having the best fall foliage in the country. Lost Maples Natural Area in Vanderpool, about two hours northwest of San Antonio, garnered the top spot from New York Travel Guides, a digital travel publication.
Lost Maples boasts 2,000 acres filled with bigtooth maple trees. It also features 10 miles of hiking and 30 campsites.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.
