Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called on House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign following posts on social media that Republican critics of the speaker allege show him intoxicated during a recent late-night session of the Legislature.
Paxton accused Phelan, also a Republican, of being in a “state of debilitating intoxication.”
Phelan's office has not yet responded to requests for comment.
In a Twitter statement, Paxton also cast blame on Phelan for allowing some key GOP priorities to fail to gain traction this session.
“Texans were dismayed to witness his performance presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication,” Paxton wrote.
The attorney general also sent a letter to the House General Investigations Committee on Tuesday asking it to open an investigation into Phelan for “violation of House rules, state law, and for conduct unbecoming his position.”
Paxton is currently under indictment for alleged securities fraud. He was indicted in 2015 and also faces a separate federal investigation over alleged abuse of office allegations.
Paxton's comments come days after Republican activists circulated a video featuring Phelan presiding over the House session on Friday.
The clipped video shows Phelan speaking after more than 11 hours of floor debate. Before and after that moment, Phelan’s speech doesn’t appear to be slurred.
However, Republican activists have claimed Phelan was intoxicated.
Former GOP state Rep. Jonathan Stickland shared the video on Twitter.
“Watching the Speaker be this wasted is absolutely unacceptable,” Stickland tweeted. “These Representatives are making laws that impact 30 million Texans. It must stop.”
This is a developing story.
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