'Country last': Trump Jr. mocked for calling Texas AG’s possible impeachment a 'RINO led witch hunt'

Former President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., is calling the impeachment recommendation for Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton a "witch hunt."

Paxton's, along with many of his Republican allies — including Trump Jr.'s — outrage "comes as the Texas House of Representatives passed 20 articles of impeachment in hopes of removing Paxton from office," earlier this week.

The House members' impeachment recommendation came after "outside attorneys presented evidence accusing the state attorney general of sweeping impropriety that verged on criminality, including claims Paxton had used his position to help a political ally, engaged in bribery and attempted to obstruct justice, HuffPost reports.

READ MORE: Tensions between Ken Paxton and Republican Texas House speaker reach boiling point

Trump Jr. shared his outrage via Twitter, writing, "What the RINOs in the Texas State House are trying to do to America First patriot Ken Paxton is a disgrace. MAGA stands with @KenPaxtonTX against this RINO/Dem led witch hunt!!!"

Junior was replying to Rep. Matt Rinaldi (R-TX)'s statement in support of the attorney general, which read, "Speaker Dade Phelan and his leadership team have appointed Democrats to highranking leadership positions, attacked the Republican Party of Texas, battled our conservative Lieutenant Governor, and killed Governor Abbott stop priorities. The impeachment proceedings against the Attorney General are but the latest front in the Texas House's war against Republicans to stop the conservative direction of our state."

The statement continued, "This sham impeachment is the result of the Phelan leadership team empowering Democrats, allowing them to hold leadership positions and letting them control the agenda. It is based on allegations already litigated by voters, led by a liberal Speaker trying to undermine his conservative adversaries, and investigated by lawyers connected to a Democrat on the House General Investigations CommitteeThe voters have supported General Paxton through three elections-and his popularity has only grown despite millions of dollars spent to try to defeat him. Now the Texas House is trying to overturn the election results.It seems Texas Republicans will have to rely yet again on the principled leadership of the Texas Senate to restore sanity and reason for our state."

The Texas Tribune reports:

Other prominent right-wing figures have similarly come to Paxton’s defense. Citing Paxton's frequent lawsuits against the Biden administration, former Trump adviser Stephen Miller called on conservatives to 'stand with Ken.' And Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted of homicide after fatally shooting two Black Lives Matter protesters in Wisconsin, accused Phelan of working with 'anti-gun Democrats' and 'attacking our pro-gun attorney general.'

READ MORE: Texas AG Ken Paxton 'furious' over House panel's calls for impeachment

Additionally, Paxton urged his supporters Friday evening "to protest at the state Capitol" once the GOP lawmakers vote to remove him Saturday, according to WGAU Radio.

"I want to invite my fellow citizens and friends to peacefully come let their voices be heard at the Capitol tomorrow," he said during a news conference. "Exercise your right to petition your government."

Furthermore, he deemed the proceedings at "political theater" that will "inflict lasting damage on the Texas House."

Media Matters for America senior writer Eric Kleefeld reacted to Paxton's outrage via Twitter, writing, "In Dec. 2020, Texas AG Ken Paxton pushed a frivolous lawsuit for the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out Biden’'s victories in multiple states. He was a right-wing hero. Now he says Texas impeaching him would 'overturn the results of a free and fair election.'"

Many Twitter users enthusiastically disagreed with Trump Jr.

Angry_Staffer: "Oh, so now free and fair elections matter. In case you missed it, a GOP-led committee in Texas recommended impeaching Ken Paxton yesterday, and his tears are predictably delicious."

Marty Taylor: "The impeachment for Texas AG Ken Paxton is set for tomorrow. This is momentous for Texas. Paxton has been under indictment since 2015. So this is long overdue."

Rick Wilson: "The Ken Paxton story is almost as pleasing as the J6 terrorists getting sent to prison."

READ MORE: Texas AG’s probe into trans care is based on illegal release of kids’ medical records: report

Josh Brodsky: "It's interesting how Paxton has framed possible impeachment as violating the will of the voters when the issue is whether he repeatedly violated the trust of voters"

Angry_Staffer: "Oh, so now free and fair elections matter. In case you missed it, a GOP-led committee in Texas recommended impeaching Ken Paxton yesterday, and his tears are predictably delicious."

@JoJoFromJerz: "Ken Paxton is a disgrace. And in your drug-addled, nepotistic mind, anyone who actually holds others in their party to a code of ethics is a RINO. That's because all you understand is cheating. Lying, cheating, scheming. That’s the trump brand. Power first. Country last."

@KIM510: "From one felon to another, right!"

@Nguyen_anime3: "Anyone getting the idea the MAGA group is shrinking? They can't even get along with their own party."

TheSGTJoker: "To Elitists, accountability (for them) always feels like oppression."

Aarón Torres: "Donald Trump still silent re Ken Paxton but his son has weighed in"

@AlCappuchinoIT: "Texas Republicans, at the very least please get rid of Ken Paxton."

READ MORE: TX AG’s wife may help decide his fate on 20 impeachment articles — including bribery tied to an alleged affair

The Texas Tribune's full report is available at this link. WGAU Radio's report is here.