After a video surfaced of Republican state House Speaker Dade Phelan appearing intoxicated during a session, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for his resignation.
KDFW-TV reported that the video was captured during a 14-hour session on Friday.
In a video footage, Phelan appeared intoxicated as he garbled his speech to the point where some of his words were unintelligible.
In a Tuesday afternoon tweet, Paxton urged Phelan to resign and seek “help.”
“After much consideration, it is with profound disappointment that I call on Speaker Dade Phelan to resign at the end of this legislative session,” he said. “Texans were dismayed to witness his performance presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication.”
Unprecedented. Here is the video of the incident in question: #txlege https://t.co/LF6vH8WQkg pic.twitter.com/cXPIgVtuYx
— Matt Beebe (@TheMattBeebe) May 23, 2023
Paxton added, “His conduct has negatively impacted the legislative process and represents a breach of his public duty. Texans relied on the House to pass crucial conservative priorities, such as preserving the integrity of our elections and preventing Chinese agents from seizing control of Texas land.
“His failures as Speaker have created a credibility crisis for all Republican candidates and for our entire Party. While I hope Speaker Phelan will get the help he needs, he has proven himself unworthy of Texans’ trust and incapable of leading the Texas House.”
The video of Phelan went viral over the weekend on social media:
This is video from last night in the Texas House of Representatives where it appears that TX House Speaker Dade Phelan is either really drunk or having a stroke. pic.twitter.com/dbSG7AO30r
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 20, 2023
In an effort for full transparency around that night, here's more of Speaker Dade Phelan #txlege on May 19th. His speech sounds off that whole night. He doesn't sound drunk, he sounds like he should be checked by a medical professional. https://t.co/JERIO2khkx pic.twitter.com/bMbOzW0SuG
— Mike B (@MikeBHoustonTX) May 21, 2023
Dade Phelan supports Child Genital Mutilation.
Here he is recently presiding over the TX House.
Phelan is either HAMMERED drunk or he's having a stroke. pic.twitter.com/sNHr0vERqJ
— Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) May 21, 2023
As of Wednesday, Phelan had not explicitly addressed the video.
His spokeswoman suggested that Paxton’s demand for his resignation was motivated by politics; Phelan is unpopular among conservatives.
“The motives for and timing behind Paxton’s statement today couldn’t be more evident,” Cait Wittman said, according to KDFW. “Mr. Paxton’s statement today amounts to little more than a last ditch effort to save face.”
According to Matthew Wilson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University, it is not uncommon for state legislators to ingest alcohol after leaving the session floor.
More on this story via The Western Journal:
“The issue is whether an official of the House shows up in an obviously intoxicated state to carry out state business,” Wilson said. “That is where the criticism will come. Not whether he was drinking”
He concluded, “Lots of people do that. It’s was his ability to conduct state business seriously impaired, and that video makes it look as if he was well over that line.”