Impeachment trial of Ken Paxton: Day 3 takeaways
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) — On day three of Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial, the Senate heard from a third witness and there was an emotional moment for one of them.
Here's a look at Thursday's key takeaways:
Concern over resources
The third day of the impeachment trial started with Ryan Bangert still on the witness stand. Bangert was the second witness to be called and, like the first, he was a former top deputy at the Office of the Attorney General and one of the eight whistleblowers.
During his testimony, Bangert said that in 2020, when the attorney general's office was dealing with big issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a multi-state Google lawsuit, Paxton directed the office to help Nate Paul on several occasions.
"I believed, based on my experience over the previous nine months, that the attorney general had abandoned his obligation to work on behalf of the interests of the people of Texas to serve the interests of one person—Nate Paul," said Bangert.
Paul is the real estate developer and Paxton donor who the attorney general is accused of helping out in exchange for favors.
During cross-examination, Paxton's attorney challenged Bangert on whether what Paxton did was actually for the sole purpose of benefitting Nate Paul, or whether that framing is revisionist history.
Why did the whistleblowers go to the FBI?
Over the three days of the impeachment trial, Paxton's defense has repeatedly asked why the whistleblowers brought their concerns about the attorney general's relationship with Paul to the FBI instead of talking directly to him.
Witnesses who have been asked about this have pushed back against that claim, saying they did try to approach the attorney general about his behavior in the months leading up to the FBI letter.
On Thursday, Bangert testified that the group felt they had no choice, even if it cost them their careers.
"We were protecting the interests of the state and ultimately I believe protecting the interest of the attorney general," he said. "And in my view, signing our professional death warrant at the same time."
When Ryan Vassar, another whistleblower, took the stand later Thursday, he also addressed why he felt the need to go to the FBI.
"The concern was that it would only get worse, General Paxton's use of the office," he said. "It would only continue to be more extreme to benefit Nate Paul."
He also said he was worried about the potential of being labeled a co-conspirator.
Tears on the witness stand
There was a moment on Thursday, shortly after Vassar took the witness stand, that he became emotional.
House impeachment manager lawyer Rusty Hardin asked him what he thought about his former boss calling him a rogue employee.
Vassar choked up and called the comments hurtful. A member of Paxton's defense team asked to approach the witness and handed him a tissue.
"It's contrary to the years I dedicated my life to the state," Vassar said.
Vassar asked about evidence
The cross-examination of Vassar became tense at many moments, including one when Mitch Little, a lawyer representing Paxton, pressed Vassar on whether he had evidence when he went with other whistleblowers to the FBI.
Hardin objected to the way Little asked the question, saying, "It's not necessary to yell at this witness."
"I apologize," Little responded. "Let me do this again at a lower volume."
When he repeated the question, Vassar answered, "That's right, we took no evidence."
But he did say the whistleblowers had good faith belief that a crime had occurred.
The cross-examination of Vassar will continue Friday. The trial is expected to begin at 9 a.m. and can be watched live on CBS News Texas' YouTube channel here.
