Speaker Dade Phelan censured by Republican Party of Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – The Republican Party of Texas announced Saturday that it has censured Representative Dade Phelan, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

The Party said the censuring is due to “lack of fidelity to Republican principles and priorities.”

“Rule 44 of the Republican Party of Texas allows the party to censure elected officials who violate Republican Party of Texas principles and priorities three times or more in a given biennium. The censure of Rep. Phelan details five such instances on issues such as the impeachment of Ken Paxton, Democrat Committee Chairs, border security, and educational freedom,” the Party said.

According to a news release, the Republican Party of Texas said the original censure resolution was passed by the Jasper County Republican Party with at least two-thirds support and required a three-fifths vote (39) to pass the 64-member State Republican Executive Committee. The final vote was 55 in favor, 4 opposed, and 4 abstentions.

The Party said Phelan is the fourth elected official in the history of the Party to be censured using the Rule 44 censure option.

A spokesperson for Rep. Phelan offered the following statement in response:

“This is the same organization that rolled out the red carpet for a group of Neo-Nazis, refused to disassociate from anti-Semitic groups and balked at formally condemning a known sexual predator before he was ousted from the Texas House. The SREC has lost its moral authority and is no longer representative of the views of the Party as a whole.”

You can view the full resolution here.