Texas AG Calls On House Speaker To Resign After Appearing Drunk

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has called on state House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) to resign, accusing him of presiding over his chamber “in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication.” Paxton also asked the House General Investigating Committee to probe Phelan, a fellow Republican. https://twitter.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/1661097919443881987 From the Texas Tribune:

Paxton’s call for Phelan’s resignation came days after a video clip went viral that showed Phelan slurring his words while overseeing House floor proceedings Friday night. Phelan’s office has declined to comment on the incident.

“After much consideration, it is with profound disappointment that I call on Speaker Dade Phelan to resign at the end of this legislation session,” Paxton said in a statement posted on Twitter. “His conduct has negatively impacted the legislative process and constitutes a failure to live up to his duty to the public.”

In case you missed my original post about the incident, here’s the video clip below. Initially, folks weren’t sure if the issue was intoxication or a possible stroke. Ken Paxton clearly has his opinion. But no one seemed to stop and check on him in either case, which probably says something in itself. It’s worth noting that the poster of the video below, Jonathan Strickland, is a fellow Republican who used to be a member of the Texas House. So, when he talks about “regularly intoxicated,” I’m guessing he knows of what he speaks. https://twitter.com/RepStickland/status/1660097724111306754