AUSTIN, Texas — The third day of the impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton featured witnesses who were troubled by their former boss's behavior and reported their suspicions to the FBI.
Two witnesses, Ryan Bangert and Ryan Vassar, spoke of the pressure they were put under in 2020 to stay loyal to Paxton or face retribution for reporting actions they believed put their office in extreme legal jeopardy.
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Ex-Paxton employee tears up on stand
Vassar, a former attorney general staffer, wiped tears from his face when testifying about the fallout of reporting Paxton to the FBI.
He said it was "hurtful" that Paxton referred to him and other whistleblowers as "rogue" employees.
"This statement of being rogue is contrary to the years that I dedicated my life to the state," said Vassar, pausing when a tissue was delivered to him on the witness stand.
Vassar was among four former staffers part of a $3.3 million settlement agreement with Paxton. Under the terms announced in February, Paxton agreed to the payout and to issue an apology to the employees who accused him of corruption in 2020 to the FBI.
Ryan Vassar, the former deputy AG for legal counsel, tears up when asked about Ken Paxton referring to him as a “rogue employee.”
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) September 7, 2023
“The statement of being rogue is contrary to the years that I dedicated my life to the state.” https://t.co/2kW2fOu9Yw pic.twitter.com/WKab2Zkc9w
Ken Paxton 'doing great' amid trial, says wife
State Sen. Angela Paxton told the Washington Examiner Thursday afternoon that although her husband has not been present since the first day of the trial on Tuesday, he has been doing very well.
"I think he's doing great," Paxton said during a conversation at the Capitol.
When asked about the defense legal team's efforts during the trial and how she felt about the events, the senator said, "It is what it is," and smiled.
Angela Paxton is a third-term state senator from a wealthy suburb north of Dallas, roughly a three-hour drive from Austin. The Paxtons have been married since 1986 and have four children.
The trial is centered on the attorney general's legal help to real estate developer Nate Paul, who prosecutors alleged paid Ken Paxton back by doing expensive home renovations at the couple's residence in Austin and hiring a woman with whom Ken Paxton was allegedly having an affair.
Top defense lawyer accuses media of making him too 'tan' in photos
Lead defense attorney Tony Buzbee attacked the press ahead of the third day of the trial and claimed to have been victimized by an allegedly manipulated image captured during the trial.
The Houston-based trial lawyer posted pictures to his public Instagram account moments before the trial commenced Thursday morning, suggesting to his more than 50,000 followers that the journalists and photographers had an agenda to target him by undermining his appearance.
“Here are two pics from two different reputable news organizations, taken on the same day, within minutes of the other. I am out in the sun a lot, but I don’t think my skin has ever been that ‘tan,’” Buzbee wrote, then suggested an unnamed news outlet had edited the screenshot to make him look less appealing.
“Why would they doctor my pic? I’m sure you could take a guess,” Buzbee wrote. “So you think the news isn’t bias? Think again.”
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The first photograph was taken by Associated Press photographer Eric Gay on Tuesday. The second picture, which Buzbee did not credit, appeared to have been captured on Wednesday when Buzbee returned to the Capitol noticeably tanner than the previous day.
Buzbee declined to speak with the Washington Examiner at the Capitol Thursday afternoon.