The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Orange County Republican Party will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, to discuss and vote to censure State Representative Dade Phelan, who is currently the powerful speaker of the house and represents Orange County.

The U.S. Senate defines "censure" as a formal statement of disapproval.

Phelan, a Republican who lives in Beaumont and represents District 21 that includes all of Orange County and part of Jefferson County, was elected Texas Speaker of the House for the 2021 session and re-elected as speaker for the 2023 session.

In some circles, he has been praised for his efforts to make a non-partisan government by reaching out to Democrats as the state, and country become more divided. However, the Orange County Republicans are not pleased.

Already, David Covey of Mauriceville, a former chair of the Orange County Republican Party, has announced he will challenge Phelan in the March 2024 primary race. Covey formerly worked for U.S. Representative Steve Stockman, who was later convicted of federal fraud charges and pardoned by President Donald Trump.

At the end of the regular session of the legislature, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a video claiming Phelan was intoxicated and slurring words while at the house podium. A short time after Paxton's Facebook post, news broke that a house committee was seeking impeachment charges against Paxton.

The house then voted to impeach Paxton on a number of accusations. The Texas Senate will vote on the impeachment in August. However, Paxton is currently removed from office and Governor Greg Abbott has appointed a replacement.