Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial escalates Texas Republican civil war

[Elderberry]

Texas Tribune by Robert Downen Sept. 16, 2023

Paxton’s far-right supporters doubled down on their promises for swift retribution against fellow Republicans who supported his removal from office.

Hours after his acquittal in the Texas Senate, Attorney General Ken Paxton’s far-right supporters doubled down on their promises for swift retribution against fellow Republicans who supported his removal from office.

In particular, they vowed a scorched-earth campaign against House Speaker Dade Phelan, casting him as the ringleader responsible for the impeachment process and calling for him to resign immediately.

“You and your band of RINOs are now on notice,” Defend Texas Liberty PAC leader Jonathan Stickland tweeted at Phelan on Saturday, as voting continued in the Texas Senate. “You will be held accountable for this entire sham. We will never stop. Retire now.”

Paxton’s impeachment trial was the latest — and among the most consequential — battle in an ongoing civil war between the Texas GOP’s establishment members and a well-funded right wing that has for years claimed the party is insufficiently conservative.

Though the two factions generally agree on policy issues — and the Texas Legislature routinely leads the nation in passing socially conservative bills — the party’s far right has often accused members, specifically those in the Texas House, of partnering with Democrats to undermine conservative priorities.

Paxton has played a key role in that fight, and has used his office to back the issues favored by the state’s most conservative flank. In turn, he has received millions of dollars from ultraconservative donors such as oil tycoons Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, who have buoyed his campaigns as his legal woes mounted, approval ratings dropped and other, more establishment donors invested elsewhere.

After House Republicans took the lead to impeach Paxton in May, the state’s far right again rushed to his defense: They accused Phelan of being drunk while presiding over House business and promised high-price primary challenges to House Republicans who voted to suspend Paxton from office. They erected billboards, made documentaries and paid social media influencers to parrot pro-Paxton talking points. They compared him to twice-impeached former President Donald Trump, and argued the attorney general was the victim of a “witch hunt” orchestrated by, among others, the Bush family, Democrats and the deep state.

More: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/16/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-republican-civil-war/

[Free Vulcan]

I'm all good with scorched earth. If you want 'civility' go hang with Mike Pence. Take some political heads and put them on spikes.

Geez Louise, it's TX, not Rhode Island. Cowboy up.

[Hoodat]

You can't get Phelan primaried next year?

[Bigun]

I read all the way down to Texas Tribune before I stopped. Not worth my time.

[PeteS in CA]

False accusations, perjury, and slander need to receive consequences.

[Kamaji]

I'm all good with scorched earth. If you want 'civility' go hang with Mike Pence. Take some political heads and put them on spikes.

Geez Louise, it's TX, not Rhode Island. Cowboy up.

[Bigun]

You can't get Phelan primaried next year?

I personally doubt that he will even run for re-election again.

[mountaineer]

Attorney General Ken Paxton
@KenPaxtonTX
In May, I called on liberal Speaker Dade Phelan to resign after he was recorded numerous times presiding over the Texas House in a state of apparent debilitating intoxication. Despite this embarrassing conduct, & his continuing erratic behavior, Phelan has refused to resign. He has also wasted millions of tax dollars on a politically motivated sham impeachment, killed a critical border security bill & empowered an Obama lawyer to stop conservative legislation. As the legislature prepares for an anticipated special session to provide children with more opportunities for quality education, it is critical that Dade Phelan resigns as Speaker or is removed from his leadership position. The people of Texas deserve serious, conservative, & unimpaired leadership. #txlege
12:51 PM · Sep 23, 2023

Drunk Phelan in action:

https://twitter.com/LivePDDave1/status/1705630006918144391

[Bigun]

Just received a text from a friend who is a member of the Texas SREC (they are meeting today) reporting that they just passed a resolution demanding that Phelan resign 58 - 2.

[Elderberry]

Texas GOP Calls on Dade Phelan to Resign

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Phelan is “undeserving of his leadership position.”

In 58-2 vote, the Republican Party of Texas approved a resolution calling on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign.

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan voted for the impeachment of Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton and through his leadership team pressured other House members to vote for the impeachment as well, and continues to defend this action despite the weaknesses of the case as demonstrated in the Senate trial that resulted in General Paxton’s acquittal;

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed nine (9) Democrats to chair important legislative committees, in direct defiance of the wishes of Republican voters and the Legislative Priorities
of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan ignored or actively undermined several GOP priorities during the regular session, failing to prioritize legislation to secure our borders and elections; and

WHEREAS, new leadership is needed in the House of Representatives for the upcoming special session, and potential subsequent special sessions, to ensure that conservative priorities are achieved and members are no longer pressured to act and vote contrary to the platform, principles, and priorities of the Party they represent and its voters; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas calls on Speaker Dade Phelan to step down from his leadership role as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, and to allow a new Speaker to be elected after a caucus vote in accordance with the Republican Party of Texas Platform; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should Speaker Dade Phelan fail to step down from the Speaker chair for this upcoming special session, the Republican representatives should vote to vacate the chair and allow for a new Speaker who has pledged to honor and support the priorities and principles of the Republican Party to be elected.

The resolution was approved during the Senate Republican Executive Committee’ meeting in Corpus Christi on Saturday, and cites Phelan’s embrace of the failed impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton as well as his appointment of Democrats to leadership positions:



More: https://texasscorecard.com/state/texas-gop-calls-on-dade-phelan-to-resign/

[catfish1957]

You can't get Phelan primaried next year?

This is my neck of the woods, and scuttlebutt I am hearing is the masses are pissed at the drunk.  He might not even run, if this trend continues.