On April 19, news broke that another House Republican has joined the effort to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., from his position of power. This marks the third GOP member who is seeking to strip him of the gavel.
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., revealed on Friday that he will be joining forces with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene by becoming a cosponsor of her resolution. The resolution aims to remove Speaker Johnson from his current position in light of the House’s recent passing of a $95 billion foreign aid package, which received support from the Democratic party.
In his statement supporting the removal of Johnson, Gosar highlighted his opposition to prioritizing financial aid to Ukraine instead of allocating more funding for border security.
Representative Gosar expressed his concerns about the United States House of Representatives’ decision to allocate $61 billion to Ukraine. He emphasized the need to prioritize securing the southern border and addressing the issue of 11 million illegal immigrants. Gosar also highlighted the contradiction between the promise of not providing additional funds to Ukraine without securing the border and the current decision to send more money. He described the situation as drawing America into an ongoing and aimless war in Ukraine.
Gosar has joined Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in expressing his support for Greene. The timing of Greene’s vote to remove Johnson remains uncertain. There is speculation among Republicans that she may be waiting to gather a larger group of like-minded representatives.
Rep. Eli Crane, a Republican from Arizona, has expressed his potential interest in joining the endeavor.
Although Greene has expressed her disapproval of Johnson’s approach to the Ukraine debate this week, she chose not to push for an immediate vote.
On Thursday, she confidently declared, “I take my responsibilities seriously.”
If Johnson’s removal does come to the floor, he would have to once again reach out to Democrats in order to secure his job. Several centrist Democrats who were supportive of the foreign aid bills have expressed their willingness to consider supporting him in this endeavor.
According to Politico, Representative Greg Landsman of Ohio expressed his eagerness to engage in bipartisan discussions and work towards effective governance. “I would be one of the first to raise my hand and say that I want to be part of that conversation, to see if we can really govern together or be in a position where he’s able to govern and bring those bipartisan bills,” stated Landsman.
As speaker, it is crucial for me to emphasize the importance of bipartisan bills. I have consistently stated that bringing these bills forward is a significant aspect of my role, and I firmly believe that they will pass. All we need are these bills to make meaningful progress.
Johnson is already in conflict with the GOP because he is willing to negotiate with Democrats to pass a federal spending plan and reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
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