Topline
House Democratic leaders said Tuesday the party’s members would vote to save House Speaker Mike Johnson from an ouster, effectively killing repeated threats from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., to begin the process for removing Johnson.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., attend a ... [+]
Key Facts
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Democratic Caucus Chair Peter Aguilar, D-Calif., said in a statement Tuesday they would vote to table Greene’s motion to vacate the speakership if she forces the House to vote.
The move, they said, is an effort to “turn the page on this chapter of Pro-Putin Republican obstruction,” referring to Greene’s opposition to the bipartisan foreign aid package passed earlier this month that delivered additional funding to Ukraine.
Johnson “is officially the Democrat Speaker of the House,” Greene wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to the statement, calling it “their official endorsement of his Speakership” and asking “what slimy back room deal did Johnson make for the Democrats’ support?” while re-upping her call for him to resign.
It’s unclear if or when Greene will force a vote, but she suggested she would in response to the Democrats’ statement, writing “Americans deserve to see the Uniparty on full display. I’m about to give them their coming out party!”
Multiple Democrats have indicated previously they would also vote against removing Johnson, and it’s likely most, if not all, of the caucus would follow suit with leadership.
Only two other Republicans—Reps. Tom Massie, R-Ky., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.—have publicly endorsed the motion to vacate, meaning it does not have the votes to succeed against the bipartisan opposition.
Crucial Quote
“From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have put people over politics and found bipartisan common ground with traditional Republicans in order to deliver real results,” Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar said. “At the same time, Democrats have aggressively pushed back against MAGA extremism. We will continue to do just that.”
Key Background
Greene filed the motion last month after Johnson pushed the fiscal year 2024 budget through the House with bipartisan support and amplified her threats following passage of the $95 billion foreign aid package earlier this month. Greene, who was an ally to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., did not file the motion as privileged, meaning there was no timeline to vote on the resolution. While repeatedly raising the threat, she refused to say whether she would force a vote, writing Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter, “his days as speaker are numbered,” without making her plans clear and slamming Johnson’s support for aid to Ukraine.
Further Reading
Why Mike Johnson Could Survive Removal Effort—As Push To Oust Him Over Foreign Aid Bills Grow (Forbes)
Marjorie Taylor Green Files Motion To Oust Speaker Mike Johnson Over Funding Bill (Forbes)
Democrats Save Mike Johnson’s Foreign Aid Package—Overcoming Right-Wing Revolt (Forbes)
