The Daily

Republicans Impeach One of Their Own

May 31, 2023

J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times, offers keen insights into the surprising impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch Trump ally. He discusses the rifts within the Republican Party, revealing tensions between moderates and hard-liners. Goodman highlights how this impeachment reflects deeper ideological conflicts and the implications for the party's future. The conversation also touches on Paxton's controversial legal history and the evolving landscape of Republican politics in Texas.

27:08

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Episode guests

J. David Goodman

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Ken Paxton: The Controversial Rise of a Trump Ally

11min

The Resilience of Political Figures and New Offerings in Journalism

2min

Unraveling Allegations and Legislative Actions

2min

The Impeachment of Paxton: A Party Divided

10min

Republican Friction and Global Tensions

3min

Since 2016, the cardinal rule of Republican politics has been to defend Donald J. Trump and his allies at all costs, no matter the allegation. That appeared to change last week, when Texas lawmakers issued 20 articles of impeachment against their state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, a powerful Trump supporter.

J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times, explains what the escalating conflict in Texas indicates about tensions within the party.

Guest: J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times.

Background reading:

The extraordinary vote on impeachment exposed rifts among Texas Republicans and set the stage for a showdown in the State Senate.
The escalating conflict between moderates and hard-liners in one of the Republican Party’s most important states highlights tension over the future of the party.

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