The new month brings new opportunities to recognize the boundless horizons of ass clownery that surround us. And though it's always a challenge to single out one representative ass clown each period, we greet the month of June with a spectacularly well-qualified awardee. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, the award for
The Right-Cheek Ass Clown for June, 2023
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is presented to
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
As difficult as it is to imagine Republicans calling one of their own to account for their misdeeds, especially in a state as rigidly under the GOP thumb as Texas, sometimes the chicanery is just too blatant to ignore*. Such is the case with Mr Paxton.
The Texas House of Representatives this week voted to impeach Mr Paxton on a staggering 20 counts of alleged wrongdoing, some of them related to a charge of securities fraud dating to 2015 ... on which he has successfully avoided going to trial ever since. Most of the counts dealt with various aspects of Paxton's relationship and dealings with a Texas real estate magnate who was a major contributor to his political campaigns, and include gifts to a public servant, abuse of official capacity, misuse of official information, and retaliation and official oppression against those attempting to expose his wrongdoing. The precipitating event for the impeachment drive was apparently Paxton's attempt to use state funds to settle a lawsuit against him by several whistleblowers.
Mr Paxton, of course, has denied all the charges, saying that "The ugly spectacle in the Texas House today confirmed the outrageous impeachment plot against me was never meant to be fair or just. It was a politically motivated sham from the beginning." He also claims that "Their plot (against me) imperils critical litigation my office has brought against the Biden administration to end the federal government's attacks on our constitutional rights and the rule of law."
In other words, he is using Der Furor's playbook in an attempt to deflect attention from his own crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, The Right-Cheek Ass Clown for June, 2023, is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton - a man who shamelessly used his power and authority as the top law enforcement official of the state for his own enrichment. If even the Texas Republican establishment can hold its nose over him, how can I do differently?
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow, when Cartoon Saturday makes its first appearance for the month. See you then!
Bilbo
* Of course, Der Furor and New York Representative George Santos continue to get a pass.
It's good to go a little deeper into the muck and pick a well-deserving state politician.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Paxton was reelected twice while under indictment leads me to doubt that the current and forthcoming indictments of Der Furor will even be a bump in the road for his campaign.
ReplyDeleteExcellent choice. He certainly rises to the surface of the ass clown pool.
ReplyDeleteIt's telling that I (a Canadian who doesn't know all the representatives as well as I assume Americans do) had previously thought Paxton must be a Democrat because the Republicans had taken him to task. I should have checked but didn't even think I needed to! All right, I've learned my lesson :)
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