Texas AG calls for Republican House Speaker to resign after video shows him so drunk he can barely stand

Video posted to Twitter last week showed the Texas Speaker of the House acting intoxicated as he conducted business at the state capitol, slurring his words and at certain points speaking unintelligibly.

People all across Twitter, even from his side of the political aisle, didn’t hold back on pointing out that Rep. Dade Phelen (R-Beaumont) seemed extremely intoxicated.

“TX Speaker of the House @DadePhelan came to the Capitol so drunk he was slurring words and propping himself up with one arm. Resign, Dade,” tweeted Blaze TV’s Sara Gonzales. “You are a disgrace to the office.”

“Anyone who watches the #txlege House knows many of the members are regularly intoxicated,” tweeted former Texas GOP Rep. Jonathan Stickland. “Watching the Speaker be this wasted is absolutely unacceptable. These Representatives are making laws that impact 30 million Texans. It must stop.”

According to the Texas Tribune, Attorney General Ken Paxton called on Phelan, to resign over his alleged drunkenness. But as the Tribune points out, Paxton’s words come as a Texas House committee revealed Tuesday it was investigating Paxton’s office over his push for $3.3 million in taxpayer dollars to settle a whistleblower lawsuit from former deputies who had accused him of misconduct.

“The motives for and timing behind Paxton’s statement today couldn’t be more evident,” Phelan spokesperson Cait Wittman said in a statement. “Mr. Paxton’s statement today amounts to little more than a last ditch effort to save face.”

Read the full report over at the Texas Tribune.

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.