22 will be kept from the public.Īfter all the evidence is presented and closing arguments are made, senators will meet in private to deliberate like any jury in a civil or criminal trial.įinally, the rules require the trial’s presiding officer - at this point it is Patrick, though he can appoint a replacement - to issue a gag order “as soon as practicable” after adoption of the rules. When senators vote on pretrial matters - or cast the deciding votes on whether to convict or acquit on each article of impeachment - there can be no debate or comments beyond “yea” or “nay.”Įven the witness list that each side must file before Aug. Dan Patrick has promised maximum transparency in the impeachment trial for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, but trial rules recently adopted by the Texas Senate came after an opaque process - and provide for plenty of secrecy going forward.Īny pretrial motions, including requests from Paxton’s legal team to toss out articles of impeachment, will be kept confidential.Ī special committee of senators will review each pretrial motion behind closed doors and issue written recommendations for how it should be addressed, but those recommendations are to remain confidential as well.
Dan Patrick, who promised transparency for the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, recaps the regular session of the Legislature at the Texas Public Policy Foundation headquarters in downtown Austin on May 30.
0 kommentar(er)
