Eric Gay/AP
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton allegedly used a fake name to take Uber rides to see his mistress, his impeachment alleges.
- According to House impeachment managers, Paxton shared the account with an Austin developer.
- Paxton is suspended from his job pending the outcome of his September 5 impeachment trial.
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney concocted an intricate nom de guerre to use Twitter. Apparently, embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and an Austin developer he's accused of accepting bribes from couldn't even be bothered to use a different last initial for a shared Uber account that Paxton would use to visit his mistress, according to Texas impeachment managers.
"Uber records reflect drivers picked up Paxton under the alias of 'Dave P' a block from his home and ferried him to his lover's or Paul's properties more than a dozen times from August 6, 2020, until October 2, 2020," House managers wrote in a series of responses to Paxton's effort to dismiss his impeachment proceedings from moving forward.
The Texas House voted in an overwhelming 121-23 vote in May to impeach Paxton and suspend him from his duties after years of scandals finally proved to be too much. The 20 articles of impeachment cite everything from alleged bribes to abuse of power and even benefits gained by Paxton's alleged mistress.
Paxton, who has made a name for himself suing the Obama and Biden administrations, has railed against the vote. Despite a last-minute appeal, even former President Donald Trump was unable to save Paxton from impeachment.
Nate Paul, the Austin developer in question, is a central figure in Paxton's alleged misdeeds. According to impeachment managers, Paul employed the woman who Paxton was having an affair with. Paxton is accused of using the power of his office to give Paul highly protected law enforcement information about a federal raid on Paul. House managers even claim that Paul paid for renovations to Paxton's home. When the attorney general wanted more expensive upgrades, a contractor responded, "Okay. I will check with Nate."
Paxton's attorney, Tony Buzzbee, claimed that House managers have been unable to produce evidence of a clear bribe.
"Attorney General Ken Paxton has neither sought nor accepted a bribe, and the House Managers' slanderous accusation to the contrary is meritless, no matter how many times they repeat it," Buzzbee said in a statement in response to the filing.
Paxton's impeachment trial is set for September 5.