Texas State House of Representatives has impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton in a 121-23 vote, citing accusations of bribery, obstruction of justice and abuse of the public trust. Paxton has been suspended from office pending his Senate trial, and the heated debate preceding the vote showed the lack of confidence in his ability to serve.
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On Saturday, Texas will hold historic impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is accused of bribery, unfitness for office, and abuse of public trust. The House has introduced 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton, who has been Texas’ top lawyer for three terms and is one of the GOP’s most prominent legal combatants. If the House votes in favor of impeachment, Paxton will be suspended as the state’s top law enforcement officer pending the outcome of a trial in the Texas Senate.
A federal judge has ruled that Garfield County School District 16 can bar a high school student from wearing a sash with an image of the U.S. and Mexican flags during her upcoming graduation. The student argued that the sash was a way to express her pride in her dual heritage and that the school district’s decision was a violation of her First Amendment rights, while the school district argued that the sash was a distraction and would disrupt the solemnity of the ceremony. The judge agreed with the school district, noting that the school has the right to regulate the speech of its students in order to maintain an appropriate atmosphere during the ceremony. The ruling has been met with mixed reactions from the community.
President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's teams have been negotiating for days in an effort to reach an agreement on the debt ceiling before the June 5 deadline. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the United States has a few more days than expected before it runs out of money. President Biden expressed optimism that a deal could be reached by the end of the night.
Anthony Rauda has been convicted of second-degree murder and other crimes in connection with the 2018 shooting death of Tristan Beaudette in Malibu Creek State Park. He was also found guilty of three counts of attempted murder and five counts of burglary. Rauda faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28. The conviction brings some closure to Beaudette's family, who have been searching for answers since his death.
JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank, has accused the wife of the former governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands of aiding Jeffrey Epstein in his alleged criminal activity. The court filing alleges that Cecile de Jongh was Epstein's "primary conduit for spreading money and influence" and helped him dodge sex offender monitoring laws, coordinate visas, employment, and travel for his victims. The lawsuit is ongoing, and JPMorgan Chase has not yet commented on the allegations.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the U.S. will run out of money to meet its obligations on June 5, 2023, if Congress does not raise or suspend the debt limit. The House Freedom Caucus has demanded that Yellen provide documentation and data to back up her announcement. President Joe Biden and Republican lawmakers now have more time to reach an agreement on a budget deal that lifts the debt ceiling.
Special Counsel Jack Smith is nearing the end of his investigation into former President Donald Trump's refusal to return classified documents related to his time spent at Mar-a-Lago. This follows a legal battle from two decades ago, when the EPA brought a civil lawsuit against Michigan resident John Rapanos for filling in three wetlands on his property without federal Clean Water Act permits. Sources close to the matter have indicated that possible criminal charges could be announced in the days or weeks following Memorial Day.