The Secrecy and Fairness of Ken Paxton's Impeachment Trial in Texas

Despite promises of transparency, the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be shrouded in secrecy. Pretrial motions, recommendations, and witness lists will be kept confidential, and senators will not be allowed to debate or comment beyond “yea” or “nay” when voting on pretrial matters or articles of impeachment. After all evidence is presented, senators will meet in private to deliberate. The opaque rule-making process has also raised concerns about conflicts of interest and the lack of transparency in the proceedings.