Former Deputy AG Ryan Vassar testifies on day 3 of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial
UPDATE 6:49 P.M.: The jury has adjourned for the day. Ken Paxton's impeachment trial will continue Friday at 9 a.m.
UPDATE 6:23 P.M.: "Wouldn't you expect to be fired for reporting your boss to the FBI without any evidence?" Little asks Vassar. Vassar answers no.
UPDATE 6:16 P.M.: "You don't know if these articles are true or false, do you?" Little asks Vassar after questioning him about the second article impeachment. "No sir, I didn't write this," Vassar answers.
UPDATE 5:42 P.M.: The cross-examination of Vassar has just begun and it's already getting chippy. The prosecution just objected to Paxton's defense attorney Mitch Little's "sidebar remarks" during questioning. Lt. Gov. Patrick told him to "pull it back."
UPDATE 5:03 P.M.: Trial is on break. Will restart at 5:25 p.m.
UPDATE 2:51 P.M.: Vassar becomes emotional and chokes up early in his testimony while describing his former role at the Attorney General's Office. A member of Paxton's defense team stood up to hand him a tissue.
UPDATE 2:36 P.M.: The second witness in the impeachment trial has been excused. Ryan Vassar, another former deputy for the Attorney General's Office is on the stand.
UPDATE 2:09 P.M.: House impeachment lawyer Rusty Hardin is trying to introduce a new exhibit that the defense says is "riddled with hearsay." Lt. Gov. Patrick has called a quick break.
UPDATE 1:15 P.M.: Trial resumes with Bangert on the stand.
UPDATE 12:27 P.M.: Trial is on a lunch break until 1:10 p.m.
UPDATE 11 A.M.: Trial resumes with Bangert on the stand. Bangert testified that Paxton's office was dealing with COVID-19 issues and a multi-state lawsuit against Google, but Paxton was consumed with using state resources to help Nate Paul.
UPDATE 10:40 A.M.: The trial is on a 20-minute break.
UPDATE 9 A.M.: Ryan Bangert, former Deputy First Assistant AG and one of the whistleblowers resumed testifying, detailing his concerns about real estate developer Nate Paul.
Bangert mentioned that he was concerned about the amount of time and resources that Paxton's office was spending dealing with the issues related to Paul.
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Day three of the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton resumed Thursday morning.
The trial continued Wednesday with more witness testimony and tense cross-examination but without the attorney general himself.
On the first day of the impeachment trial, Paxton was present in the morning to plead not guilty to the 16 articles he's facing. But when the trial reconvened after the lunch break, he was gone.
And he didn't come back on Wednesday.
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