AUSTIN, Texas — A woman with whom Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is said to have had an extramarital affair was expected to give public testimony Wednesday, setting up a dramatic moment in the Republican’s impeachment trial on charges of corruption and bribery.
The affair is central to the historic proceedings and accusations that Paxton misused his power to help a local real estate developer who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson.
She was set to take the witness stand later Wednesday in the Texas Senate across from Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, who is attending the trial but is not allowed to vote on whether her husband should be removed from office. On Monday, Angela Paxton listened from her desk in the Senate as one of her husband’s former employees testified that the secret relationship took a toll on the office.
In calling Olson to testify, a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers leading the impeachment is making her one of the final witnesses of the trial that could reach a verdict as soon as this week. Olson was first called to the witness sand Wednesday morning, but Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as the judge over the trial, said she could not testify until the afternoon because of procedural rules.
Former staff have testified that Ken Paxton admitted to them that he had an affair, but the attorney general has not discussed it publicly.
Olson’s testimony would be the first time the public hears her account of her relationship with Texas’ top law enforcement officer and his dealings with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was indicted in June on charges of making false statements to banks. Paul has pleaded not guilty.
Switching gears, House impeachment managers instead called Paxton’s former executive aide, Drew Wicker, to the witness stand Wednesday morning.
Wicker described Paxton as a friend and said they bonded over watching football, talking about politics and “talking life.” Wicker says he met Paul three times, including once to deliver him a manila envelope and another to pick up Paxton’s phone that he had left at Paul’s house.
Wicker said he hired his own lawyer after being contacted in 2020 by the FBI. Wicker says the Paxton’s office offered him an attorney and said they would not like him to speak to the FBI.
Time in the trial is ticking down, forcing lawyers on both sides to paying increasing attention to a clock being kept by Patrick. Closing arguments are likely to begin later this week.
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