Phelan faces Texas GOP e-comm call to resign

The executive committee of the Texas Republican Party yesterday called on State House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign. If he does not, the e-committee suggests the State House vote for a motion to vacate the chair. The Gateway Pundit made the report at 2:40 p.m. CDT yesterday.

Phelan running out of friends

Texas House Speaker Phelan incurred the wrath of the e-committee by apparently shepherding the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. The State House voted 121-23 to impeach Paxton on twenty charges, all involving financial chicane and arguably honest services fraud. Paxton had to take an administrative leave until the Senate, on September 16, acquitted him, 16-14 with one abstention. An angry and bitter Phelan lamented the acquittal, called it a miscarriage of justice, and darkly hinted that Paxton was still in trouble.

For that, Paxton demanded that Phelan resign his Speakership. He cited as additional reasons:

• Phelan trying to preside over the House, and slurring his words, as if he were drunk or suffering a stroke,
• The defeat of a critical border security bill, the passage of which Gov. Greg Abbott had sought, and
• Similar defeats of other “conservative legislation.”

Now the executive committee has voted 58-2 on a lengthy and angry resolution calling on the Speaker to step down. Rogan “DC Draino” O’Handley shared the text of the e-committee resolution here:

Reasons for the resignation call

The e-committee cited its own reasons, many of which echo Paxton’s. They are:

• The impeachment, his vote for it, and his twisting of arms to induce other Republicans to vote for it,
• As a corollary, his lament of Paxton’s acquittal,
• The appointment of nine Democrats to chair key committees, a thing the Speaker of the U.S. House does not do,
• Phelan’s failure to support, or actions to undermine, several Republican border and election security measures during the regular session, and
• The e-committee’s desire for new leadership during at least two upcoming special sessions.

The Texas Tribune reported September 19 that Gov. Abbott wants a special session next month to pass a school voucher bill he wants. In addition Abbott called a special election for November 7 for voting on fourteen Constitutional amendments.

The Texas Nationalist Movement still has said nothing since the impeachment. But this latest action would address a concern TNM expressed about “dysfunction” in the State House.