Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton has retained for his upcoming Senate impeachment trial two top Houston attorneys, who will be assisted by six of his employees who took leaves of absence to help, including four of his top aides.

But a key question is unanswered: How will they all be paid?

Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee, who will lead Paxton’s defense, on Wednesday told reporters at a news conference that he himself was “not being paid by the public.” ...

Legal and government ethics experts said how all of these lawyers will be paid is extremely important....

Texas taxpayers have put up more than than $43,000 so far for Paxton to defend himself and First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster against a disciplinary case filed by a committee of the State Bar that alleges that Paxton's unsuccessful Supreme Court suit seeking to overturn the 2020 election amounted to malpractice.

The State Bar complaint alleges that Paxton was dishonest and misleading in the lawsuit, echoing voter fraud accusations that had been debunked in the courts.