Ken Paxton lawyer accused Texas AG's second-in-command of 'staging a coup': report

Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton had the first day of his impeachment trial Wednesday, and his defense team decided to accuse Paxton's former second-in-command of "staging a coup" by reporting alleged misconduct.

Paxton has had the support of Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and other far-right politicians, but he's facing 16 articles of impeachment accusing the official of "misusing the powers of the attorney general’s office to help his friend," the Texas Tribune reported Wednesday.

"During cross examination, Ken Paxton’s lead attorney Tony Buzbee accused former first assistant attorney general Jeff Mateer, of 'staging a coup' against his boss," the outlet reported.

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"In a meandering, hours-long cross examination, Buzbee often jumped from one line of questioning to the other as he insinuated that Mateer and other senior staff were colluding against Paxton by meeting with the governor and lobbyists from the group Texans for Lawsuit Reform and by moving to have the attorney general’s office hire an outside lawyer before approaching the FBI about Paxton’s relationship with Paxton donor and friend Nate Paul," according to the news report.

“You were involved in staging a coup, weren’t you?” Buzbee asked, according to the report.

Mateer replied, “Absolutely not."

"Buzbee also repeatedly accused Mateer of removing Paxton’s name from official letterhead, arguing that it amounted to altering a government record in violation of state law. Mateer said he signed the letter in question, but denied making any changes to the letterhead," the news report states.

Read it here.