Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for Texas GOP House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign after he presided while allegedly intoxicated.
Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement posted on Twitter that he was only making the call after "deep consideration" and that he made it with "profound disappointment." Phelan's conduct constituted a failure to live up to his responsibilities to the public, so he should step down, Paxton argued.
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"Texans were dismayed to witness his performance presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication. His conduct has negatively impacted the legislative process and constitutes a failure to live up to his duty to the public," Paxton wrote, going on to list "critical conservative priorities" that Texans were expecting him to pass.
"His failures as Speaker have created a credibility crisis for all Republican candidates and for our entire Party," he continued. "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."
Speaker Dade Phelan should resign. pic.twitter.com/ZD920VOt1X
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 23, 2023
Paxton followed his letter with a request to the House Investigative Committee to launch an investigation into Phelan for "violation of House rules, state law, and for conduct unbecoming his position."
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) May 23, 2023
Videos taken on Friday showed Paxton behaving strangely while presiding over the House floor, swaying and slurring his words to the point that some were incomprehensible. Speculation at the time was divided on whether he was intoxicated or having a stroke.
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
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The incident is the second national scandal to hit the Texas House in just a few weeks. Earlier this month, then-state GOP Rep. Bryan Slaton was expelled in a 147-0 vote after an investigation found that he had invited a 19-year-old intern to his condo, where he gave her alcohol until she was in a state of deep intoxication. In that state, the two allegedly had sexual intercourse, and he allegedly attempted to intimidate her and her friends into silence over the affair.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Phelan for comment.