Key players in Ken Paxton's impeachment trial
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton begins on Tuesday and there will be a lot of moving parts and people to watch.
To understand who's who, here's a quick look at the key players you should know if you plan on tuning in.
There are two parties to the impeachment trial: the first is suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The other party — the House Board of Managers. This is a group of seven Republicans and five Democrats who act as the prosecution.
Republican Andrew Murr of Junction will serve as chair. Ann Johnson, a Houston Democrat, will serve as vice chair.
A few North Texans are among the other 10 managers: Republicans Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, Jeff Leach of Plano, David Spiller of Jacksboro and Morgan Meyer of University Park.
The House Board of Managers will also be represented by three heavyweight prosecutors.
Dick Deguirin's list of former clients includes some big names — such as former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Branch Davidian leader David Koresh and New York real estate mogul Robert Durst.
Rusty Hardin has also represented high-profile clients, including NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson and the estate of Houston billionaire J. Howard Marshall in a case against former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith.
The third attorney on the team, Harriet O'Neill, served as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court for more than a decade.
On the other side, two prominent lawyers from Houston are defending Paxton.
Tony Buzbee notably represented former Gov. Rick Perry in a 2015 case over abuse of office charges, which was ultimately dismissed.
Dan Cogdell, the other attorney on the defense team, represented Branch Davidian Clive Doyle in the aftermath of the Waco ambush and represents Paxton in the state's securities fraud case against him.
Also on Paxton's defense team are six lawyers from the attorney general's office.
Senators will act as the jury in the impeachment trial. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, as president of the Senate, will act as the court's presiding officer.
