In a 58-2 vote, the Republican Party of Texas approved a resolution calling on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign.
The resolution was approved during the State Republican Executive Committee meeting in Corpus Christi on Saturday, and cites Phelan’s embrace of the failed impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton as well as his appointment of Democrats to leadership positions:
WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan voted for the impeachment of Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton and through his leadership team pressured other House members to vote for the impeachment as well, and continues to defend this action despite the weaknesses of the case as demonstrated in the Senate trial that resulted in General Paxton’s acquittal;
WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed nine (9) Democrats to chair important legislative committees, in direct defiance of the wishes of Republican voters and the Legislative Priorities
of the Republican Party of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan ignored or actively undermined several GOP priorities during the regular session, failing to prioritize legislation to secure our borders and elections; and
WHEREAS, new leadership is needed in the House of Representatives for the upcoming special session, and potential subsequent special sessions, to ensure that conservative priorities are achieved and members are no longer pressured to act and vote contrary to the platform, principles, and priorities of the Party they represent and its voters; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas calls on Speaker Dade Phelan to step down from his leadership role as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, and to allow a new Speaker to be elected after a caucus vote in accordance with the Republican Party of Texas Platform; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should Speaker Dade Phelan fail to step down from the Speaker chair for this upcoming special session, the Republican representatives should vote to vacate the chair and allow for a new Speaker who has pledged to honor and support the priorities and principles of the Republican Party to be elected.
On Friday evening, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Phelan is “undeserving of his leadership position.”
The only two members of the SREC to vote against the resolution were Bill Fairbrother and Morgan Graham.
Phelan did not respond to a request for comment as of publishing.
