Kenny Paxton/Dave P's Impeachment Game Day Thread

[Updawg 2,266]

Does this mean this guy has to sleep on this and keep getting anally raped in the morning?

[South Austin 52,494]

2 minutes ago, Updawg said:

Does this mean this guy has to sleep on this and keep getting anally raped in the morning?

I don’t think he’s getting any sleep tonight.

[South Austin 52,494]

The Texas Tribune and Texas Lawyer are not giving Ryan Vassar terrible reviews.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/07/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-live-updates/

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ken-paxton-impeachment-affair-corruption-witnesses

Texas Monthly even has a heading reading “Ryan Vassar holds his own against Mitch Little.”

 

[Updawg 2,266]

Well I hope that’s the perception. I didn’t see it that way.

[South Austin 52,494]

I think there’s a lot of high-fiving in the Paxton war room this evening.

[Dnaguy 11,955]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

Wait, are we talking about trial work or something else?

 

All day? Trial work.

> 5 minutes, .... well, something else.

[Dnaguy 11,955]

1 hour ago, VinyVango said:

These “choirboys” were arguably sycophants who jumped ship to save their asses when they were neck deep in collective high level feces.

[Horndog 2,228]

Has anyone actually seen the rules they adopted? Is it possible for the Senate to convict and then DP override that and order acquittal based on "insufficient evidence"?

[chainsaw 9,867]

The thing I can't seem to understand is how any of this bickering with the witnesses matters to the facts. The argument I heard over and over was that the police report was somehow premature. But.....so what?

I heard Little repeat this line about how Paxton, as the "elected official" with a whopping 4 million votes (in a state of nearly 30 million), could "do whatever he wanted" or "read whatever file he wanted." Which is only half true.

Sure, in a vacuum, those are all things the AG has the power to do. But we're not in a vacuum.  If the AG is aware that he is using the public office to benefit a private person, and if it's illegal to use public resources for the benefit of a private person, then those acts coupled with that awareness makes those official acts illegal. And of course it also makes Little's premise technically false. Paxton could only do lawful things, which is not as broad as "whatever he wanted."

If someone is awake on the House Managers side, I hope they make it clear that none of these exaggerated complaints, about how rude it is not to give the subject of a potential criminal investigation a heads-up about the potential investigation, do anything to change the likelihood that each of the allegations made in the articles of impeachment are, without any shadow of a doubt, true.

Edited September 8, 2023 by chainsaw

[atomheartbevo 89,659]

1 hour ago, Horndog said:

Has anyone actually seen the rules they adopted? Is it possible for the Senate to convict and then DP override that and order acquittal based on "insufficient evidence"?

I think, based on this week, Patrick is siding with the House and wants Paxton gone. Instead of just constantly overruling in favor of Rusty, he could be consulting with his legal advisors every time there is an objection and helping run the clock out somewhat, and he could allow the objections to stand. But I'm one of the 54% of Surly that's not a lawyer, so...

There are four other charges that aren't currently being handled in this trial (forgot what they were), but I doubt they will be needed.

Regardless of what happens, it's being proven and made explicitly clear that Paxton was in deep with Nate Paul, and when Nate Paul's federal stuff gets out into the open, Paxton will be pretty tarnished. I think he's going to be primaried either way - this trial is providing all of the ammo needed for another Republican to beat him in the primaries, and Abbott picked a temporary AG that could probably do the trick. A decent Republican challenger will have enough money and backing to travel the state asking why Paxton was doing what Nate Paul wanted him to, and Paxton cannot have people googling Nate Paul and asking why Nate Paul was able to use the AG's office to potentially go after his enemies.

Edited September 8, 2023 by atomheartbevo

[Brisketexan 105,124]

I think, based on this week, Patrick is siding with the House and wants Paxton gone. Instead of just constantly overruling in favor of Rusty, he could be consulting with his legal advisors every time there is an objection and helping run the clock out somewhat, and he could allow the objections to stand. But I'm one of the 54% of Surly that's not a lawyer, so...
There are four other charges that aren't currently being handled in this trial (forgot what they were), but I doubt they will be needed.
Regardless of what happens, it's being proven and made explicitly clear that Paxton was in deep with Nate Paul, and when Nate Paul's federal stuff gets out into the open, Paxton will be pretty tarnished. I think he's going to be primaried either way - this trial is providing all of the ammo needed for another Republican to beat him in the primaries, and Abbott picked a temporary AG that could probably do the trick. A decent Republican challenger will have enough money and backing to travel the state asking why Paxton was doing what Nate Paul wanted him to, and Paxton cannot have people googling Nate Paul and asking why Nate Paul was able to use the AG's office to potentially go after his enemies.

If Paxton survives this trial, there is a 0.0% chance he gets primaried. The base loves him, he can’t be beaten.

[Updawg 2,266]

If Paxton survives this trial, there is a 0.0% chance he gets primaried. The base loves him, he can’t be beaten.

At least in north Texas and down through Waco

[DDD Dad 14,339]

3 hours ago, VinyVango said:

These “choirboys” were arguably sycophants who jumped ship to save their asses when they were neck deep in collective high level feces.

 

[Satchel 6,938]

23 minutes ago, Updawg said:

At least in some parts of North Texas and down through Waco

There ya go.

[Beau Vine 54,220]

2 hours ago, Horndog said:

Has anyone actually seen the rules they adopted? Is it possible for the Senate to convict and then DP override that and order acquittal based on "insufficient evidence"?

I was about to scold you for conjuring up such a ridiculous outcome, but then I remembered the timeline.

[TwiceHorn 31,463]

3 hours ago, Horndog said:

Has anyone actually seen the rules they adopted? Is it possible for the Senate to convict and then DP override that and order acquittal based on "insufficient evidence"?

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/881/billtext/html/SR00035I.htm

They do not seem to authorize granting of anything akin to a JNOV/JMOL

Edited September 8, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[South Austin 52,494]

So who else thinks Ryan Vassar got beaten with a rubber hose last night?

Edited September 8, 2023 by South Austin

[South Austin 52,494]

9 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

If Paxton survives this trial, there is a 0.0% chance he gets primaried. The base loves him, he can’t be beaten.

Wrong.  If he survives the trial but gets a federal indictment on top of his pending state securities fraud case, there is a 0.000001% chance he gets primaried.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, South Austin said:

So who else things Ryan Vassar got beaten with a rubber hose last night?

So I watched the first two and a half days of trial, but only caught some of the initial Vassar stuff. What's the issue with him?

[South Austin 52,494]

8 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

So I watched the first two and a half days of trial, but only caught some of the initial Vassar stuff. What's the issue with him?

Beyond the disorganized snoozefest of Rusty Hardin's direct, he was an incredibly weak witness, and a poor follow up to Bangert who was by all accounts very strong for the prosecution and handled Ralph Macchio's cross well.  While there was little substance to the testimony elicited from Vassar on cross, his meekness and inability to handle some of the questions won the defense a fair amount of style points, in my opinion.  And for jurors who get lost in the weeds and don't follow substance, style points can matter.

Edited September 8, 2023 by South Austin

[Guest]

Better or worse than Mateer?

I feel like Mateer actually sounded better against the defense than he did with the prosecution. 

[South Austin 52,494]

Worse than Mateer. 

And agree with Mateer on cross.  I thought Mitch Little, the defense attorney who crossed Vassar, was much more effective than Buzbee.  But I think that was due in part to just how weak Vassar has been. 

[BevoSwag 272]

I just want Paxton gone so it is really hard for me to be objective but I thought Vassar was a wus but held his own against Little, which really surprised me.  I figured he'd be an easy target.  

[atomheartbevo 89,659]

Starting up

 

[Brisketexan 105,124]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Wrong.  If he survives the trial but gets a federal indictment on top of his pending state securities fraud case, there is a 0.000001% chance he gets primaried.

[Beau Vine 54,220]

Reading tweets out loud.  Awesome.

[South Austin 52,494]

Mitch's website photo appears to be outdated or highly touched up.

https://solidcounsel.com/attorneys/mitch-little/

[VinyVango 691]

This cross-examiner is a well prepared, smart lawyer, but his prissy, histrionic, rushed tone is not effective.

[South Austin 52,494]

2 minutes ago, VinyVango said:

This cross-examiner is a well prepared, smart lawyer, but his prissy, histrionic, rushed tone is not effective.

Seems like that's exactly the kind of tone that would be effective to a jury of Texas Republican Senators.

[atomheartbevo 89,659]

5 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Mitch's website photo appears to be outdated or highly touched up.

https://solidcounsel.com/attorneys/mitch-little/

20 years and 50 pounds ago.

[South Austin 52,494]

So he's reading through text messages where they're all saying mean things about colleagues at the AG's office.  Highly relevant, Mitch.

[chainsaw 9,867]

"the implication"

[South Austin 52,494]

If I were a prosecution witness in this trial Mitch would be having a five-hour field day with my Surly posts.

[chainsaw 9,867]

If Little is trying to make the witness less likeable he's doing a bad job.

[A-Tex Devil 2,446]

Would love to see Mitch's texts.  I can imagine what he'd prefer not to get out. 

[chainsaw 9,867]

This should be Vassar's testimony

[atomheartbevo 89,659]

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

So he's reading through text messages where they're all saying mean things about colleagues at the AG's office.  Highly relevant, Mitch.

The alternative is that he try to prove that Paxton didn't do what everybody said he did.  Much easier to just read text messages of people bitching about colleagues.

If they get Nate Paul on the stand, I'd like to see him try and wreck Paul.

[chainsaw 9,867]

Just now, atomheartbevo said:

The alternative is that he try to prove that Paxton didn't do what everybody said he did.  Much easier to just read text messages of people bitching about colleagues.

If they get Nate Paul on the stand, I'd like to see him try and wreck Paul.

No way in hell he's allowed to do anything but plead the fifth

[South Austin 52,494]

Okay, this is getting just silly.  Spending time airing out private texts dissing co-workers that have nothing to do with the charges.  I'm hoping the jurors are thinking to themselves, "Shit, I say these kinds of things about my colleagues and constituents all the time.  Big fucking deal."

[A-Tex Devil 2,446]

So people were excited and wanted to prosecute KP and that's a bad thing?  Why isn't Vassar smart enough to say "of course we were excited to ensure this dude was prosecuted.  yes it was gallows humor.  Doesn't make KP less of a guilty shithead."

 

..... and wtf just happened?

Edited September 8, 2023 by A-Tex Devil

[chainsaw 9,867]

Just now, A-Tex Devil said:

So people were excited and wanted to prosecute KP and that's a bad thing?  Why isn't Vassar smart enough to say "of course we were excited to ensure this dude was prosecuted.  yes it was gallows humor.  Doesn't make KP less of a guilty shithead."

Yeah, it's all grandstanding

[South Austin 52,494]

Just now, A-Tex Devil said:

..... and wtf just happened?

Impromptu 30-minute break only 30 minutes into this morning's proceedings.  Seems odd.

[Guest]

Some sort of deal? Wasn't there an article about how if this goes more than a couple of days he is toast but they expected KP to resign?

[South Austin 52,494]

5 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

If Little is trying to make the witness less likeable he's doing a bad job.

Yeah, Vassar's doing better so far.  These texts just make him seem more human, doing something we all do, and he's not apologizing for the comments and is just acknowledging them for what they are.

[South Austin 52,494]

1 minute ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Some sort of deal? Wasn't there an article about how if this goes more than a couple of days he is toast but they expected KP to resign?

I highly doubt that.  His defense team would be in the know and any deal would've been announced before they started today's proceedings rather than 30 minutes in to a discussion about the Ken Paxton text slam party.

[A-Tex Devil 2,446]

2 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Some sort of deal? Wasn't there an article about how if this goes more than a couple of days he is toast but they expected KP to resign?

Farris and Tim just put in a call and/or deposit.

[Guest]

No one on Twitter seems to know either. 

[South Austin 52,494]

I mean, if we all want to reach, Paxton decided to resign last night, but told his attorneys to first get into evidence the texts showing his former underlings all saying mean and disloyal things about him, and once that was done, he'd make the call.

Fuck if I know.

[atomheartbevo 89,659]

4 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

No one on Twitter seems to know either. 

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I mean, if we all want to reach, Paxton decided to resign last night, but told his attorneys to first get into evidence the texts showing his former underlings all saying mean and disloyal things about him, and once that was done, he'd make the call.

Fuck if I know.

Normally social media lawyers are full of hot takes.  Everybody is just confused.

[South Austin 52,494]

From the Texas Tribune:

Quote

A half-hour into Vassar’s testimony, Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, approached Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who is presiding over the trial — and whispered in his ear before exiting the Senate floor. Patrick announced the proceedings would pause for 30 minutes.

Miles’ chief of staff said he had no information to share about why the senator left the proceedings. But according to an NPR reporter, Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, Rep. Briscoe Cain told reporters that there was no “health or safety risk, but would not provide details.”

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/08/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-live-updates/

My guess is a shart.

Edited September 8, 2023 by South Austin