The legal team for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a motion to dismiss all but one of the articles of impeachment against him. They say that is because the alleged misconduct occurred prior to the 2022 general election and is therefore void under the so-called prior-term doctrine.
Prior-term doctrine, based on Texas Government Code 665, holds that because citizens are the ultimate authority in electing people to public office, if allegations of misconduct are known to the public prior to the election, then the alleged misconduct cannot be the basis for removing a public official from office.
