TYLER, Texas (KETK) — On Saturday, May 27, the state house voted to move forward with an impeachment trial for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Louie Gohmert spent 18 consecutive years serving U.S. Congressman for District 1.

In 2022, he decided to step away from his seat in Washington D.C. to challenge Paxton for Texas Attorney General ultimately losing that race.

“He comes across as so persuasive, so innocent, so ‘woe is me,'” said Gohmert.

Gohmert said with Paxton already serving his third term the timing of the impeachment process is surprising.

“Number one, I was surprised it happened so quickly and number two, I was surprised it took so long to happen quickly,” said Gohmert.

He said since 2020, talk of Paxton’s misconduct allegations has been circulating in the state capitol.

“There’s been two years, anyone who wasn’t deaf and blind in Austin knows that he had eight quality people, including a really valiant Texas Ranger saying ‘this guy is corrupt,'” Gohmert said.

Gohmert challenged Paxton in the race and said he was confident he was going to win the runoff.

“I was gaining ground but then he hit me with false advertising, but it was enough to suppress me,” said Gohmert.

East Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison believes Paxton wasn’t given due process.

Gohmert said sometimes House members believe they deserve more reasoning than given, but the true trial and legal process will unfold in the State Senate.

“On the issue of ‘is he getting due process?’ Well, we may not like it, but in a grand jury type equivalent, what the House of Representatives is, there was nothing illegal or immoral or unethical,” said Gohmert.

When the trial begins in the senate Gohmert believes two people should not be able to vote.

“Angela Paxton should be recused, she should not have a vote because she clearly has a conflict of interest,” said Gohmert.

He also said the chair of a Senate committee listed in impeachment article two should also recuse themselves.

“I don’t know who it is but he’s mentioned in the resolution,” said Gohmert.

Gohmert said the removal of our state’s top law enforcement officer is ultimately in the hands of the Texas Senate.

“I would humbly submit that Ken Paxton has been destroying the Republican party for two years,” said Gohmert.

The Senate will ultimately need a two-thirds vote on impeachment.

The impeachment trial for Ken Paxton will start no later than August 28, 2023.