Former Texas Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan

Retirement can do great things for people, writes Barbed Wire reporter Brian Gaar. And in the case of one retired Republican elected official, it may end up turning them against their former party.

“Turns out the only thing keeping Republican Texas House speaker Dade Phelan from speaking his mind was … his job. Who knew?” wrote Gaar. “The former Texas House Speaker announced last month that he wouldn’t seek reelection. And since then, he’s gone from buttoned-up politician to that one relative at Thanksgiving who’s too old to care what anyone thinks. And honestly? It’s a lot more fun this way.”

Phelan is no “bleeding heart vegan watercolor artist,” said Gaar. Roughly nine months ago, he helped ban abortion and Diversity, Equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at state universities as House speaker. He also voted down gender-affirming medical care for transgender children. But last December he declined to run, after “criticism from fellow Republicans for being insufficiently right-wing,” said Gaar.

Since then, Gaar says Phelan’s gone from “measured politician” to “burn book with a verified checkmark.”

“After years of half-smiles and pre-packaged quotes, it’s refreshing to watch a politician hit the ‘retirement snark’ phase, said Gaar. “You almost wish more of them would quit just so we could get the uncut version.”

While the MAGA movement and Texas lawmakers are bushwhacking people who dare to mention influencer Charlie Kirk’s habit of using “his public platform to dismiss the violence meted out against … George Floyd, and to denigrate women ... and others,” Phelan is calling out A.G Pam Bondi for saying authorities will “target” people for alleged “hate speech.”

“‘Hate speech’ is still free speech,” Phelan wrote on X. “The cure for ugly words is stronger ideas, not censorship. Slippery road ahead.”

“And when Fox News morning slug Brian Kilmeade casually suggested the state kill homeless people with lethal injection, our boy Dade — now liberated from the shackles of office — suggested they ‘lethally inject Kilmeade’s contract’ instead,” wrote Gaar.

Phelan has also taken to X to rant about Texas Republican overreach regarding THC (the active ingredient in marijuana).

“I will not support a ban on hemp products that threatens an entire legal industry built by Texas entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners,” Phelan posted. “The latest prohibition bill isn’t about safety — it’s about government overreach.”

“Nothing but net from the Dadester! (Also, damn, where was this Dade Phelan when he had actual power?)” Gaar wrote.

“Of course, we know why he’s suddenly this unfiltered,” added Gaar, pointing to a comment Phelan made under another X post that “not running for election sure does free a guy to speak his mind.”

“Correct,” Phelan commented.

“If this is what Phelan’s like off the leash, maybe the Texas GOP’s biggest mistake wasn’t ousting him. It was setting him free,” wrote Gaar.

Read the Barbed Wire report at this link.