Calling for the Resignation of State Rep. and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan

WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) authorizes the Party to sanction a Republican office holder who takes three (3) or more actions during a biennium in opposition to the core principles of the RPT Platform, or the Legislative Priorities adopted at the most recent State Convention, or both; and

WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Texas Rules defines the current biennium as beginning when the State Convention adjourned on June 18, 2022; and

WHEREAS, the Texas House Rules delegate the power of choosing committee chairs to the Speaker of The House; and

WHEREAS, State Representative Dade Phelan, as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, has abused the power of his office and his authority as Speaker by taking more than three actions during this current biennium that are either in opposition to the core principles of the Republican Party of Texas, in opposition to the Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priorities, or both; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, Republican Primary Ballot Propositions show 81.24% of Republican voters asked the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature to end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, all members of the Texas Legislature, including State Representative Dade Phelan, were sent a resolution from McLennan County Republican Women stating the Republican-controlled Texas legislature “shall adopt a rule that would end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats;” and

WHEREAS, in 2022, at the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Convention, the Platform Committee passed and put into effect this biennium a clear list of legislative priorities, and banning Democrats from holding committee chair positions is one of the top legislative priorities written as priority number five (No. 5), “Ban Democrat Chairs;” and

WHEREAS, on January 10, 2023, the Texas House of Representatives elected State Representative Dade Phelan, by floor vote, as Speaker of The House on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session; and

WHEREAS, on February 8, 2023, in disregard of Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority No. 5, “Ban Democrat Chairs,” House Speaker Dade Phelan appointed nine (9) Texas Democratic Party state representatives to committee chairmanship positions within the Texas House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, thereby in House Speaker Phelan’s conscious decision to appoint multiple Democrat chairs to House committees in direct opposition to both the Republican Party of Texas legislative priorities and 81.24% of the most recent Texas Republican Primary election voters, the aggregate peril of Phelan’s appointments thereby also places Speaker Phelan in violation of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth core principles of the RPT Platform; and

WHEREAS, House Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Oscar Longoria to chair the House Business and Industry Committee; and

WHEREAS, House Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Abel Herrero to chair the House Corrections Committee; and

WHEREAS, House Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Victoria Neave Criado to chair the House County Affairs Committee; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Criado, author of House Resolution (HR) 294, “LATINX JUDGES DAY, TEXAS”, adopted February 22, 2023, which falsely claims male and female are not the only human sexes, suggesting individuals can be sexually “nonbinary,” Criado’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the first and sixth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Criado, co-author of HR 155, “LGBTQ CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ADVOCACY DAY, TEXAS,” adopted March 8, 2023, Criado’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the first and sixth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Joseph Moody to chair the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Moody, author of House Bill (HB) 142, read first time on February 23, 2023, relating to abolishing the death penalty, Moody’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the first, second and fifth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Moody, author of HB 22, read first time on February 23, 2023, relating to requiring the report of certain sales of multiple firearms and multiple firearm magazines, Moody’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the third, fourth, and fifth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Harold V. Dutton to chair the House Juvenile Justice and Family Affairs Committee; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Dutton, author of HB 828, read first time on March 1, 2023, written to amend the Texas Family Code to classify 17-year-olds as minors instead of adults when charged with a crime, Dutton’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the fifth core principle of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Dutton, author of HB 918, read first time on March 2, 2023, relating to abolishing the death penalty, Dutton’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the first, second and fifth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Tracy King to chair the House Natural Resources Committee; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. King, author of HB 2744, read first time on March 13, 2023, related to prohibiting the transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles to certain recipients, King’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the third, fourth, fifth and eighth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative R.D. “Bobby” Guerra to chair the House Resolutions Calendars Committee; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Guerra, author of HB 3300, read first time on March 15, 2023, related to and providing a criminal penalty for the release of a balloon, Guerra’s appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the third, fourth and fifth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Terry Canales to chair the House Transportation Committee; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Canales, author of HB 3418, reported engrossed May 5, 2023, relating to the implementation by the Texas Department of Transportation of a vehicle mileage user fee pilot program and a task force to assist in developing and evaluating the program, Canales’ appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the ninth core principle of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Speaker Dade Phelan appointed Democrat State Representative Senfronia Thompson to chair the House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety; and

WHEREAS, thereby Speaker Phelan appointed as a committee chair Rep. Thompson, author of HB 355, read first time February 23, 2023, relating to qualifications and registration of certain voters convicted of a felony, and written to amend Section 11.002(a), Texas Election Code, to deny pardoned individuals the ability to legally vote, her appointment by Phelan thereby places Phelan in violation of the first and fifth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas; and

WHEREAS, on February 28, 2023, Speaker Phelan promoted HR 85, a resolution honoring the LGBT community, by allowing the resolution to be referred to the House Resolutions Calendars Committee in violation of the first and sixth core principles of the Republican Party of Texas;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Executive Committee of the Montgomery County Republican Party of Texas, meeting August 14, 2023, a quorum being present, by a vote of simple majority and voting, hereby calls for Dade Phelan, holding a public office that directly impacts the entire state of Texas, to resign immediately; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we request the State Republican Executive Committee and the delegates to the next State Convention of the Republican Party of Texas concur in this Resolution; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an official copy of this resolution be prepared and transmitted to the Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.

08.14.2023