Since he took office in 2015, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been controversial to say the least.
His rock-hard conservative approach to his duties and fierce loyalty to former President Donald Trump has kept him in the good graces of Texas voters. But he's been dogged by professional and personal scandals. Currently, he faces an indictment from 2015 on federal securities fraud charges. And today, in the state Senate, Paxton's impeachment trial gets under way after he tried to get the state to pay $3.3 million legal settlement to former AG's office employees who accused him of abusing his office and taking bribe from wealthy real estate mogul Nate Paul.
There is also an allegation that Paul hired Paxton's mistress as a favor.
Paul currently faces eight federal felony charges for alleged financial crimes.
Paxton has denied any wrongdoing and says it's all a political witchhunt. Maybe, maybe not.
In any case, we seriously doubt Paxton will be burned at the stake.
It will take all 12 Democrats in the state Senate -- assuming they all vote guilty -- along with nine Republicans to convict Paxton on any or all of the 20 articles of impeachment.
The AG has to like his odds.
Stay tuned.