AMNA NAWAZ: It was an historic day in Texas, as the state Senate transformed into a court of impeachment for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton pleaded not guilty to 16 charges, including bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and abuse of the public's trust.

The House impeachment managers and Paxton's attorneys each began to make their case.

STATE REP. ANDREW MURR (R-TX): Mr. Paxton has been entrusted with great power.

Unfortunately, rather than rise to the occasion, he has revealed his true character.

And as the overwhelming evidence will show, he is not fit to be the attorney general for the state of Texas.

DAN COGDELL, Attorney For Ken Paxton: We are living on the wet end of democracy right now.

Is it up to the voters or is it up to politicians to see who stays in office?

Your decision is much bigger than Ken Paxton.

Your decision is literally about democracy in this state.

AMNA NAWAZ: For more on the trial, I'm joined by Tony Plohetski.

He's a reporter for The Austin-American Statesman.

He's been following today's proceedings.

Tony, welcome back.

Always good to see you.

TONY PLOHETSKI, The Austin-American Statesman: Thank you so much.

AMNA NAWAZ: Let's begin with what exactly Mr. Paxton is being accused of here.

What are these charges related to?

TONY PLOHETSKI: So, Amna, this all dates back to 2020.

And during the pandemic, a number of Ken Paxton's top aides were talking about his first assistant and other people who worked in the executive offices of the attorney general's office.

They went to the FBI.

And they said, we believe our boss, the attorney general of Texas, is committing a number of federal offenses, including bribery and abuse of office.

The allegations relate to Ken Paxton's alleged actions to aid a well-known Austin investor by the name of Nate Paul, who himself was under FBI investigation.

And, according to the allegations, Ken Paxton took a number of steps in his official capacity as attorney general to assist Nate Paul and then received benefits, allegedly, from doing so.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, we heard part of what Mr. Paxton's defense team has to say there.

But what else are they saying?

What's the crux of their argument?

TONY PLOHETSKI: They are essentially saying that all of this has been misconstrued, that any alleged evidence or any allegations brought forth by these whistle-blowers is just inaccurate, that they got it wrong, and that the House investigators who spent months digging into ken Paxton's conduct, that they simply just have it wrong.

And, Amna, they're also contending that this is a weaponization of the impeachment process, that Ken Paxton was duly elected last fall in November to a third term to serve as Texas' top attorney.

And they say that this effort is an effort to undermine the electorate and the voters of Texas.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Tony, what would it take to get a conviction?

And is that likely in this Republican-led state Senate?

TONY PLOHETSKI: So, really, it has been described as a trial for nine Republican senators.

The question is whether or not there will be enough Republican senators to push this impeachment effort over the finish line.

It requires a two-thirds majority.

There is an assumption that all 12 Democrat senators will, in fact, vote for impeachment.

But then it would take an additional nine to get the finish line, to see the finish line for the impeachment.

And I think it's an open question, frankly, about whether or not that is going to happen.

AMNA NAWAZ: It is worth noting Ken Paxton has been a staunch ally of former President Trump for a long time.

This is all unfolding in a state Mr. Trump won handedly back in 2020 and still has good support.

How do Texans feel about this impeachment proceeding?

TONY PLOHETSKI: Well, to be clear, there is an effort that has been under way for several weeks now by a couple of political action committees, a couple of very well-funded political action committees.

And they have essentially launched campaigns to say to Texas Republican senators who they feel may be at risk for voting to convict Ken Paxton.

They have said, look, if you do so, you will face a primary challenger.

But then, when you look at other information, like a recent poll released by the University of Texas just days ago, many Republican voters, according to this survey, don't really even know or fully understand the allegations against Ken Paxton.

But many of them also similarly said that they do not believe that this impeachment effort should go forward.

AMNA NAWAZ: Today, as we noted, was day one of the trial, many more days ahead.

And we will hope to check back in with you as these proceedings continue.

That is Tony Plohetski of The Austin-American Statesman joining us tonight.

Tony, thank you.

TONY PLOHETSKI: Thank you.