Texas speaker of the House slurs his speech, struggles to identify colleague during awkward legislative meeting: Video

The speaker of the Home within the state of Texas had issue performing his ceremonial duties throughout a current legislative session, sparking questions on attainable public intoxication or maybe even a severe medical episode.

On Friday night, Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican representing parts of Jasper, Jefferson, and Orange Counties, took to the dais on the state Home in Austin to conduct his traditional obligations: sustaining order, recognizing colleagues who want to converse, and banging a gavel at acceptable moments. Nonetheless, Phelan gave the impression to be out of types that evening, repeating himself, slurring his phrases, and even misidentifying a feminine consultant as a male colleague. A clip of the assembly rapidly went viral on social media:

Mediaite tried to transcribe the video with the assistance of an online tool, and the ensuing transcription is simply as complicated because the video. It additionally doesn’t convey the uncomfortably lengthy pause between when the gavel sounded and when Phelan tried to establish Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, a Democrat from Mesquite:

PHELAN: Mr. Kuempel, the Senate amendat — the modification is [inaudible] is the objection to the alternative modification, and the [inaudible] amendat — modification is adopted. (Bangs gavel) The chair acknowledges Mr. — Mr. Johnson of Harris? Mr. Johnson of Harris to talk in opposition to…the invoice.
UNKNOWN: It’s Ms. Neave Criado.
PHELAN: The chair acknowledges Ms. Neave Criado to talk in opposition to the invoice.

As of Monday afternoon, the video had already garnered 1.5 million views on Twitter, with many customers drawing their very own conclusions about why a seemingly wholesome 47-year-old man would have such issue talking coherently.

“Ummmmm… May You Repeat That For The Sober Folks In The Again,” wrote one user. “Yikes Dude.”

“Nancy was like that,” joked another, referencing former U.S. Speaker of the Home Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “Should be a Speaker factor.”

Nonetheless, one in every of Phelan’s former Republican colleagues within the state Home, Jonathan Strickland, issued a way more scathing rebuke in response to the video. “Anybody who watches the #txlege Home is aware of most of the members are repeatedly intoxicated,” tweeted Strickland, who now identifies as a “recovering politician.” “Watching the Speaker be this wasted is completely unacceptable. These Representatives are making legal guidelines that affect 30 million Texans. It should cease.”

Although most blamed Phelan’s conduct on alcohol or another sort of intoxicant, nonetheless others expressed concern {that a} medical problem, maybe even a stroke, was the trigger. “That appears neurological to me, not drunk,” insisted a consumer who goes by the identify Happy Sandwich.

“Sure, you possibly can have a stroke and not likely even understand it,” Happy Sandwich commented elsewhere.

Phelan’s Capitol workplace didn’t reply to TheBlaze’s request for remark. His district workplace denied data of the video and directed all inquiries to his Capitol workplace.

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