Unless Democrats intervene to save Speaker Mike Johnson, his opponents now have the necessary votes to remove the Republican leader from office, thanks to the involvement of a third House Republican in the drive to unseat him.
The Motion To Vacate
Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona endorsed the “motion to vacate” that Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wrote, the two Republicans said on Friday. Should the resolution be presented as a privileged one, it would compel a vote on whether to remove Johnson from office as speaker within two legislative days. To pass, only a simple majority vote would be required.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky joined the move to resign earlier this week, but he has stated that he prefers to advocate for Johnson’s resignation over forcing a vote on the motion. The speaker has infuriated the three Republicans and other hard-right conference attendees by bringing up votes to give help to Ukraine, especially without any provisions pertaining to U.S. border security.
Johnson Might Lose Speakership?
In a statement released on Friday, Gosar stated, “We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than caving into the reckless demands of the warmongers, neo-cons, and the military-industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away.”
If the matter came to a vote, Johnson would lose the speakership if all three Republican votes were cast against him. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated on Friday that passing the foreign aid bills “in totality” is “the pre-requisite to the conversation” about preserving Johnson, despite the fact that several Democrats have suggested they would intervene to do so.
“Johnson Is Finished”- Democrats
A third Republican supporting the motion to vacate is a serious setback for Johnson, increasing the possibility that he may be removed from office or that Democrats will step in to preserve him, which could further damage him in the conference. “Johnson is finished,” a Republican who backs the speaker declared. “It is depressing.”
Another Republican stated that Greene “has the votes.” The member stated that they think Democrats will vote to keep Johnson in office, particularly in light of the manner the aid packages were designed, which infuriated some conservatives.
According to Massie, the goal is to demonstrate their numbers and persuade the speaker to step down on his own, not to compel a vote to remove Johnson. Republicans may meet in private and select a new leader prior to Johnson willingly stepping down from the chair, saving weeks of turmoil on the floor where the House must hold consecutive votes to install a speaker, Massie told reporters.
The plan, according to Massie, has always been to urge the speaker to step down in a similar manner to that of John Boehner, who cleaned the barn and announced his resignation, saying, “I’m leaving and you’ve got plenty of time to replace me.” Therefore, we avoided having a speaker-less house in that situation. We’re looking for Mike’s notice, much like you give two weeks’ notice when quitting a job.
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