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'''Matthew McDade Phelan''' (born September 18, 1975) is a [[real estate]] developer from [[Beaumont]], who is the [[Speaker]] of the [[Texas]] House of Representatives, and a former [[Democrat]] who switched to the [[Republican Party]] and became a legislator for District 21 (located in the southeastern corner of the state, an area commonly known as the '''Golden Triangle''')  Phelan is the first Speaker to come from that portion of Texas.  Unlike the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], where the party in the majority elects the [[Speaker of the House]] without cross-over voting allowed, the Speaker of the Texas House is typically elected mostly by [[Democrat]]s and [[liberal]] [[Republicans]], even though the Republican Party holds the majority.

'''Matthew McDade Phelan''' (born September 18, 1975) is a [[real estate]] developer from [[Beaumont]], who is the [[Speaker]] of the [[Texas]] House of Representatives, and a former [[Democrat]] who switched to the [[Republican Party]] and became a legislator for District 21 (located in the southeastern corner of the state, an area commonly known as the '''Golden Triangle''')  Phelan is the first Speaker to come from that portion of Texas.  Unlike the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], where the party in the majority elects the [[Speaker of the House]] without cross-over voting allowed, the Speaker of the Texas House is typically elected mostly by [[Democrat]]s and [[liberal]] [[Republicans]], even though the Republican Party holds the majority.

In late May 2023, Phelan was slurring his speech while presiding over a session on the House floor, apparently because he was intoxicated.  Independent news services reported that "Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan slurred speech on House floor," providing a video showing it.<ref name="Intoxicated">https://www.kwtx.com/video/2023/05/23/texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan-slurred-speech-house-floor/</ref>

In late May 2023, Phelan was slurring his speech while presiding over a session on the House floor, apparently because he was intoxicated.  Independent news services reported that "Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan slurred speech on House floor," replete with video.<ref name="Intoxicated">https://www.kwtx.com/video/2023/05/23/texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan-slurred-speech-house-floor/</ref>

Illustrating how he is a [[Judas politician]], Phelan led an ambush impeachment of the popular and recently elected [[conservative]] Texas Attorney General [[Ken Paxton]] on May 27, 2023. The vote against Paxton was 121 to 23, with 60 Republicans joining the majority to impeach. Paxton was immediately suspended from his duties upon the House impeachment. The matter now heads to the state Senate, which is 19-12 Republican, presided over by the Republican Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]], a political associate of Paxton. the Senate membership includes [[Angela Paxton]], Ken Paxton's wife.

Illustrating how he is a [[Judas politician]], Phelan three days later led an ambush impeachment of the popular and recently elected [[conservative]] Texas Attorney General [[Ken Paxton]] on May 27, 2023. The vote against Paxton was 121 to 23, with 60 Republicans joining the majority to impeach. Paxton was immediately suspended from his duties upon the House impeachment. The matter now heads to the state Senate, which is 19-12 Republican, presided over by the Republican Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]], a political associate of Paxton. The Senate membership includes [[Angela Paxton]], Ken Paxton's wife. Senate rules require twenty-one senators to convict.

==Background==

==Background==