Earlier this month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted in the state Senate after an impeachment in the House in May… and now Paxton’s conservative allies are coming for the pro-impeachment representatives.
More specifically, leaders of the Republican Party of Texas called for the House speaker’s resignation Saturday.
Members of the Senate Republican Executive Committee reportedly voted 58-2 for a resolution demanding the resignation of House Speaker Dade Phelan. They took issue not only with his role in Paxton’s impeachment, but also with his decision to appoint nine Democrats to committee chairs.
The Republican leaders told Phelan to resign or else face a motion to vacate the speakership.
The resolution reportedly said —
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…
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…
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…
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.
In the Senate, Paxton — the state’s top lawyer — faced allegations of abusing his office to aid political donor Nate Paul, a real estate developer under F.B.I investigation for allegedly lying to banks. Even after the acquittal in the Senate, Paxton is heading to trial on federal charges of securities fraud. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Phelan’s supporters have defended the tradition of giving committee chairs to members of the opposition party, and they’ve warned about Paxton’s potential to damage the GOP’s electoral prospects.
The resolution included other critiques of Phelan’s leadership, too.
It slammed Phelan for deprioritizing certain bills to secure elections or defend the border, and it called for a routine change in leadership ahead of the House’s upcoming session.
In Texas, the House speaker has no term limits.
“Speaker Dade Phelan ignored or actively undermined several GOP priorities during the regular session, failing to prioritize legislation to secure our borders and elections,” the resolution reportedly said.
“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.”
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, another Republican, echoed the critiques of Phelan’s leadership.
“Dade Phelan orchestrated the House process from the outset,” Patrick tweeted Friday. “He is unworthy of his leadership position.”
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.