Short Attention Span Musing

The "what you get when you put crooks in charge" edition.

...Maybe they can put it next to Ben Carson's $31K dining table.

From AP via Yahoo! -

Scrutiny of Arkansas governor's $19,000 lectern deepens after new records are released

New public records have widened questions over when Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office planned to use Republican Party funds to reimburse the state for a $19,000 lectern, which was bought in June using a government credit card.

The Arkansas GOP paid for the lectern in September, but the words “to be reimbursed” were only added later to the original invoice, records released this week show. The undated reimbursement note adds to weeks of scrutiny over the purchase, which has dominated political talk in Arkansas.

...If only the oft-charged Ken Paxton had a sense of irony.

From the Texas Tribune -

Ken Paxton to file criminal complaints against Texas House impeachment managers

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Monday he plans to file criminal complaints against the group of state representatives who led the impeachment against him for releasing his personal information.

“The impeachment managers clearly have a desire to threaten me with harm when they released this information last week,” he said in a statement. “I'm imploring their local prosecutors in each individual district to investigate the criminal offenses that have been committed.”

The 12 House representatives being targeted by Paxton led the impeachment trial in the Senate after the House overwhelmingly voted to impeach Paxton in May. Last month the Senate acquitted Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment that alleged corruption and bribery.

...Should we all pitch in to buy Steve Scalise a hair shirt?

From CNN -

Steve Scalise picked as GOP speaker nominee, but struggles to lock down votes to win the gavel

House Republicans picked Rep. Steve Scalise as their nominee for speaker on Wednesday, but the Louisiana Republican lacks the votes needed to win the gavel and it remains unclear whether he will be able to win over holdouts.

Republicans are now worried that Scalise is facing grim prospects of becoming speaker as he confronts opposition within the ranks, a situation that threatens to prolong the GOP’s leadership crisis following Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster.

Do I believe that Scalise is a better human being than Gym Jordan?  Yes.  If only because he hasn't enabled and protected a sexual predator.

To the best of my knowledge, anyway.

On the other hand, he's still a lousy human being.

...Speaking of lousy human beings...

Does ignoring part of your job and actively working against the interests of your employers count as a voluntary resignation?

In his ads touting school vouchers to siphon money from public schools to private pockets., Arizona's Tom Horne refers to himself as the state's "superintendent of schools."  [edited] Actually, he campaigned for and won the office of "superintendent of public instruction".

Yes, I believe that elected office is a job like any other.

[Note - edited on 10/12 - I heard the spot again.  He said "schools", not "education", as I originally wrote.  Of course, "public" is still not part of his mindset.

The original text - 

]

Will May 27th be Texas' version of January 6th?

Guessing not, but the similarities between Texas AG Ken Paxton and Cheeto  are striking.

Both have called for followers to rally/riot (my term, not theirs) in support, both have cheated on their wives, and both have been impeached.

First up:  Paxton's call for his supporters to "rally" to prevent his impeachment.  From The Guardian (UK) -

Texas attorney general urges supporters to protest at capitol ahead of impeachment vote

The Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, has urged his supporters to protest at the state capitol when Republicans in the House of Representatives take up historic impeachment proceedings against him.

The state House has set a Saturday vote to consider impeaching Paxton and suspending him from office over allegations of bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust – just some of the accusations that have trailed him for most of his three terms.

Then: Paxton cheating on his wife.  From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram - 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s mistress at heart of allegations in impeachment papers

At the heart of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent troubles is that he used his office to help a political donor — Austin real estate investor Nate Paul — in exchange for allegedly helping the attorney general remodel his home and giving Paxton’s mistress a job in his company. 

According to thedailybeast.com, “Paxton reportedly acknowledged the affair with the woman, who worked as an aide to a Texas state senator, to his staff in 2018 and said he had ended it.”

Finally: Paxton has been impeached, too.  From the Texas Tribune -

Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties; will face Senate trial

Defying a last-minute appeal by former President Donald Trump, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, temporarily removing him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office.

The vote to adopt the 20 articles of impeachment was 121-23.

The vote itself, from the Texas Legislature -

The Paxton matter now moves to the Texas State Senate for a trial, where, interestingly, Angela Paxton, Ken's cheated-on wife, is a member.

Not sure how she will vote, or even if she will conflict herself out and simply not vote on the matter.

It's rather unusual for Republicans to hold one of their own accountable, for, well, *anything,* but like the Liz Harris mess here in AZ (where she was expelled from the legislature for inviting a guest to testify at a committee hearing who accused other Republicans of being corrupt), but Paxton made it personal when he called for the Texas house speaker to resign over allegations that he was drunk while presiding over the Texas House.

Paxton, the AG in Texas, flees from a subpoena

Pretty sure that's not setting a good example for AGs...well...*anywhere*

From The Texas Tribune -

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton fled his home to avoid being served with subpoena, court record says

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton fled his home in a truck driven by his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, to avoid being served a subpoena Monday, according to an affidavit filed in federal court.

Ernesto Martin Herrera, a process server, was attempting to serve the state’s top attorney with a subpoena for a federal court hearing Tuesday in a lawsuit from nonprofits that want to help Texans pay for abortions out of state. Later on Monday, Paxton filed two requests: a motion to quash the subpoena and another to seal the certificates of service, which included the affidavit from process server. His lawyers argued that the server “loitered at the Attorney General’s home for over an hour, repeatedly shouted at him, and accosted” Paxton and his wife. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman granted both requests early Tuesday, hours after the affidavit had been published.

He's got lots of issues.

Also from The Texas Tribune, dated 9/15/2022 -

Texas AG Ken Paxton could be deposed about securities fraud accusations after election

Attorney General Ken Paxton will face lawyers for the men who accused him of securities fraud seven years ago in a one-hour deposition after the November elections.

The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday that Collin County District Court Judge Cynthia Wheless ordered Paxton to sit for the deposition on Nov. 28, three weeks after the culmination of Paxton’s reelection race. He is running against Democrat Rochelle Garza.

Of course, at least he hasn't fled to Cancun, like another Texas Republican.