In a stunning turn of events, the GOP-controlled Texas House of Representatives voted Saturday to impeach the state’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.

In a 121 to 23 vote, with five others absent or abstaining, the state House approved twenty articles of impeachment against Paxton on grounds including bribery, obstruction of justice, and dereliction of duty. Among other things, Paxton is accused of doing favors for a top campaign donor, then firing whistleblowers in his office—four high-ranking Republican staffers—who raised legal concerns about his actions. He subsequently tried to get the state legislature to cover the cost of a $3.3 million settlement over their claims.

“Attorney General Paxton abused his office and his power for personal gain,” said Republican State Rep. David Spiller, a member of the House Committee on General Investigating. “He put the interests of himself over the laws of the state of Texas.” 

Paxton will be temporarily removed from office pending a trial in the state Senate. Texas’ legislature is one of the most conservative in the country, which makes Saturday’s vote all the more remarkable.

Paxton is best known as a staunch ally of Donald Trump who in December 2020 filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state of Texas that sought to invalidate presidential election results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s victory. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the case because Texas did not have standing to challenge the voting procedures of another state.

Arsenal is continuing its tradition of honouring fans who tragically passed away during the season at the end of their campaign. As one of the most popular clubs in the world with a large and devoted fanbase, Arsenal values the strong connection it has with its supporters.

In a heartfelt gesture, the club has announced that it will pay tribute to fans who have lost their lives during the course of the season. Prior to their final home game of the campaign, Arsenal will display the names of these dedicated supporters on a cannon, symbolizing their lasting impact and remembrance within the club.

This initiative aims to bring the fans even closer to the organisation and acknowledges the significant role they play in the success and spirit of Arsenal Football Club. It is a poignant reminder of the enduring bond between the club and its loyal supporters, as they come together to honor those who have passed away.

The club announced through its website:

“This season, we have been contacted by the loved ones of significantly more supporters than previous years – many of whom will have featured as obituaries in the matchday programme. 

Arsenal is actively searching for midfield reinforcements as they aim to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season under Mikel Arteta. Recognizing the midfield as an area requiring improvement, the Gunners have set their sights on players who can make a significant impact.

While Declan Rice has been identified as a target, Arsenal’s ambitions extend beyond just one player. The club has also been linked with the likes of Mason Mount and Moises Caicedo, and they have now added Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot to their list.

According to Fichajes.net, Arteta is interested in working with Rabiot, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Frenchman is expected to leave Juventus and is open to discussions with potential suitors, potentially including Arsenal.

Whether or not Arsenal will meet Rabiot’s demands remains to be seen, but he has become one of their primary targets as they seek to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season.

Just Arsenal Opinion

Tony Cascarino has put forward the suggestion that Mason Mount could be an ideal signing for Arsenal to replace Granit Xhaka, who is set to leave the club in the summer, as Chelsea and the player are reportedly struggling to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Despite Chelsea’s significant investments in the transfer market in recent seasons, they are apparently unable to meet Mount’s demands. Cascarino expressed his surprise and frustration at this situation and was subsequently asked about the club he believes would be a good fit for the midfielder, to which he suggested Arsenal.

He said via Talk Sport:

“I look at Arsenal as probably the best fit for him, because I think he can do the Xhaka role really well.

“Mason will always get goals, he’s got a great eye for the goal, he’s a good finisher and he will always chip in. He’s very capable of getting ten-plus goals a season, and I think he’d fit well in this Arsenal team.” 

Former professional footballer Gabby Agbonlahor has advised Arsenal against taking shortcuts as they aim to rebuild their team and become a strong force in the Premier League once again.

Arsenal showcased their potential in the league this season, coming close to defeating Manchester City and challenging for the title. Mikel Arteta’s side will be eager to maintain this level of performance in the upcoming campaign and have been linked with high-profile signings such as Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice.

Both midfielders are highly regarded in the Premier League and would require a significant financial investment from Arsenal. However, there have been reports suggesting that Arsenal might opt for a more cost-effective option in Southampton’s Romeo Lavia.

Agbonlahor believes that signing Lavia would be a shortcut for Arsenal and may not yield the desired results. Instead, he suggests that the club should focus on making substantial investments in top-quality players to ensure long-term success rather than opting for cheaper alternatives.

He tells Football Insider:

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is planning a squad overhaul at the end of the season, with several players set to be offloaded to make way for new additions.

One player who is likely to leave the club is Granit Xhaka, who has been with Arsenal for a significant period of time. Xhaka is expected to make a move to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, signalling the end of his tenure at the Emirates Stadium.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is another player who could be on his way out of Arsenal. Despite being a product of the club’s academy, Maitland-Niles has spent the last two seasons on loan at AS Roma and Southampton. Following Southampton’s relegation this season, Maitland-Niles is now considered a free agent and is available to find a new club.

Although Arsenal has the option to trigger a one-year extension on Maitland-Niles’ contract, Football Insider reports they have decided against doing so. This means the player will be able to pursue opportunities elsewhere as a free agent.

By parting ways with Xhaka and Maitland-Niles, Arsenal aims to make room for new signings and bring in players who will enhance the squad’s quality and professionalism under Arteta’s leadership.

Arsenal director Edu Gaspar has rejected the notion that the Gunners “bottled” the Premier League title despite occupying the top spot for a significant portion of the season.

At the start of the campaign, Mikel Arteta’s team aimed to secure a top-four finish. However, as they consistently held the leading position in the league standings, aspirations within the club shifted towards winning the title.

While Arsenal’s fans had high hopes and expectations, the team ultimately fell short of claiming the championship. Some supporters have expressed their disappointment, attributing the failure to “bottling” the title.

Edu, however, disagrees with this assessment telling ESPN Brasil:

“Saying Arsenal ‘bottled’ is a word I wouldn’t use, we created our own frustration. Nobody expected us to fight for the title. You being frustrated about not winning the title is a change of mind. It could even be considered, let’s say, positive, considering times ago. In the past, we celebrated the fourth place, the third. Today, we are frustrated with the second.”

Hours before announcing his 2024 campaign for the presidency on Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law allowing him to continue to serve as governor while he pursues the GOP presidential nomination. While that was the headline, the new law contains a series of provisions making it harder to vote in the state, including new restrictions on mail-in ballots, efforts to make it easier to purge voting rolls, and limitations on third-party voter registration groups that could gut community registration drives.

As a result, DeSantis is facing three new federal lawsuits from organizations including the NAACP, League of Women Voters, and the Hispanic Federation, which argue that the new restrictions violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, including the right to free speech and association, and fundamental protections of the right to vote.

Voting rights groups say the new rules for grassroots voter registration groups are particularly burdensome. According to a summary by Democracy Docket, the new law:

Requires organizations to reregister for every single election cycle,Prohibits prefilled information on registration applications,Shortens the amount of time organizations have to return registration applications from 14 days to 10 and increases the fine associated with late delivery,Bans noncitizens and individuals with certain felony convictions from handling voter registration applications and imposes fines for each violation of this requirement, andIncreases the total aggregate fine that an organization can be levied in each calendar year from $50,000 to $250,000.

Voting rights groups told the GOP-controlled legislature before the bill’s final passage that these measures “create an overwhelming chilling effect, and groups will have to decide between risking fines of magnitude they cannot shoulder, or simply cease undertaking voter registration activities altogether.” The lawsuit by the League of Women Voters said the restrictions will have “devastating consequences” that could lead it to “severely curtail” voter registration drives.

The new law is likely to have a disproportionate impact on voters of color, who are five times more likely than white voters to be registered by a third-party group.

A South Carolina judge temporarily blocked the state’s new six-week abortion ban on Friday, one day after it was signed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.

“The status quo should be maintained until the [state] Supreme Court reviews its decision,” said circuit court Judge Clifton Newman. “It’s going to end up there.”

The state Supreme Court blocked a similar ban on abortion at the roughly six-week mark, which the GOP-controlled legislature passed in 2021, and which took effect after the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturning Roe v. Wade last June. In January 2023, South Carolina’s Supreme Court called that law “an unreasonable restriction upon a woman’s right to privacy.” That kept abortion legal in the state until around 20 weeks of pregnancy.

In response, Republicans passed a new abortion ban, which Planned Parenthood South Atlantic immediately challenged in court, alleging that it “violates the South Carolina Constitution’s right to privacy and its guarantees of equal protection and due process.”

The composition of the South Carolina Supreme Court has changed since its ruling blocking the first abortion ban. Judge Kaye Hearn, who wrote the 3-2 decision, retired earlier this year and was replaced by Appeals Judge Gary Hill, who was selected by the legislature. That made South Carolina the only state in the country to have an all-male state supreme court.

Arsenal has identified West Ham United’s Declan Rice as their primary transfer target for the upcoming season as they seek to strengthen their squad in the next transfer window.

Arsenal has shown significant progress in the current campaign, establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the league. The team’s performances have highlighted the managerial abilities of Mikel Arteta, and the club is eager to provide him with the right players to further improve their squad.

Declan Rice is seen as a key target for Arsenal, and they aim to make him their marquee signing once the current season concludes. However, they face stiff competition from other clubs, including Chelsea and Real Madrid.

Football London has been closely monitoring the developments surrounding Rice’s career in recent weeks, and while it is not yet a done deal, the report suggests that Rice has rejected offers from Chelsea and Madrid. Furthermore, he has allegedly given his word to Arsenal, indicating a strong inclination towards joining the Gunners.

It is worth noting that transfer negotiations can be complex, and until official announcements are made, there is always a degree of uncertainty. However, the indications suggest that Arsenal is strongly pursuing Rice’s signature and is confident in their chances of securing the midfielder’s services.