Just hours before the Legislature is slated to convene for a third special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has taken his criticism of House Speaker Dade Phelan to a new level, calling on him to resign.
While Patrick has been critical of Phelan following the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, until now he has avoided calling on him to step down.
In a statement released Monday morning, Patrick said Phelan had hit “rock bottom” by “using the war in Israel for his own political gain.”
“With nearly 1,000 dead and over a hundred kidnapped, anyone who would use the war in Israel for their own political purposes is revolting, repulsive, and repugnant,” said Patrick.
“I am calling on Dade Phelan to resign his position before the House gavels in this afternoon,” said Patrick. “There is no place in Texas political discourse for any elected official to use the atrocities in Israel for their own political gain. That’s what Dade Phelan is doing. At this point, he’s simply got to go.”
Patrick’s call for Phelan to resign comes as a response to a statement by Phelan earlier today that attempted to connect Patrick to white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Patrick roundly condemned Fuentes, who has been an outspoken admirer of Hitler.
“Nick Fuentes and his antisemitic rhetoric have no place in the United States. Those who spew such vile, loathsome, abominations will have to answer for it,” said Patrick. “For anyone to try to use these invectives for their own political gain is below contempt.”
Phelan has not commented on Patrick’s call to resign.
