Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) has condemned anti-Semitism within the state GOP and called on his colleagues to distance themselves from the Defend Texas Liberty Political Action Committee (PAC) after it was revealed that its leader had met with a Nazi supporter. In a post on social media on October 9th, Phelan stated, "The Republican Party is no place for Hitler apologists."
Phelan's remarks came in the wake of a sneak attack launched by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel during a major Jewish religious holiday. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 1,000 Israelis and led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare a state of war. Phelan referred to the attack as "the most egregious assault on Jewish lives since the Holocaust" in his statement.
The Speaker accused Defend Texas Liberty President Jonathan Strickland of spending six hours with a Holocaust denier, stating that it was "not just a casual misstep." He emphasized that it revealed a deeper issue within a certain segment of the Republican Party. Phelan's office stated, "Anti-Semitism, bigotry, and Hitler apologists should find no sanctuary in the Republican Party... We cannot – and must not – tolerate the tacit endorsement of these vile ideologies."
The Texas Legislature began its third special session on October 9th, focusing on issues such as education freedom, border security, public safety, and ending COVID-19 restrictions. However, CBS News reported that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had demanded Phelan's resignation before the session, indicating potential infighting within the Texas Republican Party. Despite the demand, Phelan remains in his position as House Speaker.