Three lawmakers, including Gosar, team up to file a motion to remove Speaker Johnson
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) recently joined Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) in supporting a motion to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). The move followed House Democrats assisting Johnson in advancing a foreign aid plan, sparking internal Republican tensions. Gosar emphasized the need for a Speaker focused on American interests over foreign engagements. Rep. Paul Gosar, along with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, backed a motion to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson. This decision came after House Democrats aided Johnson in pushing forward a foreign aid plan, leading to friction within the Republican party. Gosar highlighted the importance of having a Speaker who prioritizes American interests above foreign matters.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) became the third Republican to co-sponsor a motion to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) shortly after the House advanced the speaker’s four-pronged foreign aid plan to a final passage vote.
Gosar joins Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) in supporting vacating Johnson from the top leadership position after Democrats helped Johnson push a procedural rule vote over the finish line — a sign that certain House Republicans are growing frustrated with the speaker’s leadership.
“I have added my name in support of the motion to vacate the Speaker,” Gosar said in a statement. “Our border cannot be an afterthought. We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than bending to 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.”
The House passed a procedural rule on Friday that allows the House to vote on four separate bills that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and allies in the Indo-Pacific region. A separate fifth bill addressing border security will come to the floor as well, but many Republicans have blasted the fact that the southern border is not addressed in the legislation.
Greene, who voted “no” on the procedural rule, left the Capitol quickly and took no questions on whether she would move forward and file a motion to vacate. She blasted Johnson on Thursday for sending aid to Ukraine with Democratic support.
“Monday was Tax Day. So as Americans were paying their hard-earned tax dollars to this government, the Republican speaker, hinging his entire ability to stay speaker on sending $64 million to Ukraine — I can’t think of a worse betrayal ever to happen in the United States history,” Greene said.
Several House Republicans have come out in support of Johnson this week as the motion to vacate hovers over his head, with some supporting Rep. Dusty Johnson’s (R-SD) proposal to raise the threshold for a motion to vacate.
Right now, any one member can file a motion to vacate and force a vote on whether to oust the speaker. That rule was agreed to by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in order to garner enough support to secure the gavel himself — before being ousted just nine months later.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Following the rule vote on Friday, Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Tim Burchett (R-TN) said they would not support a motion to vacate. Burchett said he was unsure if Johnson would keep his job as speaker after the foreign aid bill, but he thinks a motion to vacate would just shift the power to the other side of the aisle.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to vacate the chair right now,” the Tennessee Republican said. “I think that would just hand it over to the Democrats.”
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
