House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is walking a tightrope. One wrong step in the eyes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., could trigger a vote on ousting him.
Greene has expressed anger over Johnson potentially using Democratic votes to pass the foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific region and other measures, including one that could make it harder to oust the speaker in the future. There’s also frustration that immigration and border measures are not included in the package.
“He is the Democrat speaker,” Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told reporters. “I don’t think that’s ever happened in history before. And that’s going to be the message that that will definitely change everything.”
However, if it’s a bipartisan coalition that’s getting Johnson in trouble, such a coalition will be needed to save him from a motion to vacate.
Multiple Republicans who expressed significant disapproval of Johnson’s plan and also voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will not say how they would vote, including Reps. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Other conservatives said they’re sticking with Johnson and oppose a motion to vacate.
“I don’t support it,” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. “I didn’t support it with Speaker McCarthy. I’m not gonna support it.”
A growing number of Democrats are going public with their willingness to save Johnson.
“Johnson does not deserve this kind of treatment for what he’s tried to do,” Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., told Straight Arrow News.
“We have to make sure that we don’t see somebody who’s trying to do the right thing get punished,” Rep. Tom Souzzi, D-N.Y., said.
Democrats are also prepared to provide the votes needed to get the four-part foreign aid package over the finish line.
“We think it needs to pass and we think it needs to pass now. And I believe you will see the support of efforts that accomplish that,” Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said.
Moderate Republicans are coming out against actions by Greene and other conservatives like Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., To get a bill on the floor for a vote, it needs to go through the rules committee. Roy and Massie are using their seats on that committee to block these bills.
“What’s not being fair is when we’re constantly taking down the rule that’s showing that your vote is more important,” Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, said. “Your 750,000 people in X district is more important than the 750,000 people that live in the first district of Utah.”
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., thinks lawmakers who are using rules committee seats to block bills from getting to the floor should resign from the committee or be removed.
“If you don’t like a bill, vote no on the floor like everybody else,” Lawler said. “That committee is there to advance the cause of the majority. That committee is not there to advance the cause of Chip Roy or Thomas Massie or Ralph Norman.”