Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) committed “three betrayals” that will lead to an upcoming vote to remove him from office.
Massey worked with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who filed a motion to resign in April, to force a vote. They held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the move, in which Massey outlined these three betrayals.
Fund Democratic priorities and disrupt normal order through spending bills
“The first betrayal was the omnibus bill,” Massey said. “Under Kevin McCarthy, we wrote seven separate spending bills. And when Mike Johnson took over, did we start working on the other side? No, we threw seven in the trash. I threw it away.”
Conservatives have been fighting for assurances from then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) returns regular orders on spending bill. Mr. McCarthy led the passage of a short-term continuing resolution with an extension period in September 2023, but he had already ensured that seven of the 12 spending bills passed.
“Mike Johnson has decided to get rid of all the hard work we have done and introduce an omnibus bill. It is an omnibus bill that would cost the FBI an entirely new organization.” Building. “
Mr. Massey is particularly angry with Mr. Johnson because the FBI continues to obstruct constitutional oversight by the Judiciary Committee, on which Mr. Johnson serves, including funding for new FBI facilities. Ta.
“In the meantime, we are demanding answers from them here in the Judiciary Committee,” he said. “They mock us and hold our noses at us, but why shouldn’t we? We build them new buildings, as if we’re going to do something about their arrogance. , I will send you a strongly worded letter.
Increase warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
“The second betrayal of Mike Johnson was passing FISA without a warrant,” Massey continued. “Did he do this the proper way? No.”
Congress has debated the expiring provisions of Section 702 of FISA for months, with competing visions debated in the Judiciary and Intelligence committees. The Intelligence Committee sided closely with the Biden administration and the intelligence state, which had opposed reforms that would have required warrants before intelligence agencies could spy on Americans.
“The authority for the FISA (Section) 702 program rests with the Judiciary Committee,” Massey argued. “But Mike Johnson has decided to let the Intel committee run this program.”
Massey has been a leader in the fight for a vote on warrantless surveillance both on the Rules Committee and in the judiciary, where he also serves.
“We had a warrant vote on the floor about whether we needed a warrant to spy on Americans,” he said. “This is a constitutionally extra vote. It should be clear to anyone who has read the Constitution that a warrant is required.”
He pressed on the argument of Johnson’s supporters that he did not have the military strength to fight the Biden administration on warrants.
“In Mike Johnson’s case, I’d say he’s got a slim majority. You can’t have everything you want. Even compared to Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, he’s got a slim majority. “We have a majority of the people,” he said. “It was a narrow majority that voted decisively that they could spy on Americans without a warrant. It was 212-212, look into it.”
It is rare for the chairperson to vote on the floor. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Johnson cast the deciding vote to push through the amendment requiring warrantless surveillance and remove it from the final bill.
“He didn’t vote for any other amendments,” Massey said. “He went out of his way to vote against that amendment and cast the decisive vote on FISA without a warrant.”
Breaking promises to secure borders before giving money to Ukraine
“So what was the third betrayal, the third and final betrayal? Nearly $100 billion has been spent on foreign wars,” Massey said.
The Foreign Assistance Supplemental Act “started out as the Veterans Affairs Act, HR 815, to give veterans better benefits,” Massey said, detailing the behind-the-scenes parliamentary process that was followed to force the bill through. mentioned. “Chuck Schumer removed every word from it and sent it back to the House with this addendum.”
As Breitbart News reported, Johnson then used the urgency of Congress to use a complex parliamentary plan to pass aid to Israel and force the passage of Ukraine funds.
“They pretended like we voted on four separate bills,” Massey said. “And once those votes passed, they changed it to an amendment and agreed to the Senate bill and sent it back to the Senate.
“All this was discussed in advance.” [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer. ”
Collusion with Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden
Massey concluded by pointing out that Johnson’s three major “accomplishments” in just six months were all accomplished in close collaboration with Schumer.
“Why didn’t the Senate change a single word in all three betrayals when these bills were introduced from the House to the Senate?” he asked. “That’s because Mike Johnson was following orders from Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden.”
He continued:
They didn’t have to change a single word in these bills. Chuck Schumer fought against all amendments. He wanted those bills passed, exactly as Mike Johnson had promised. FISA without a warrant, an omnibus with a new FBI headquarters, and $100 billion in foreign aid with no border security. As Ms. Greene said, our borders are wide open. This was our last chance to show our strength, but the speaker gave it all up.
Massey explained what Jeffries stands to gain by supporting Speaker Johnson:
So, why does Hakeem Jeffries support the Republican Party Chairman? Aren’t they your biggest rivals? I mean, what is Hakeem Jeffries after all? He wants open borders. He wants to increase his spending. He wants to regain the majority. And most of all, he and the Democratic conference here want President Trump to lose. Who do you think can accomplish all four of these things? Mike Johnson will replace them with increased spending, open borders, a loss of the majority, and a loss of the Trump presidency.
He talked about the Democratic Party’s response to the Democratic Party’s violation of the decorum of the House of Commons, such as waving the Ukrainian flag in the House chamber, when Prime Minister Johnson passed the Ukraine aid package. The House Sergeant at Arms, overseen by Johnson, did not impose fines on violators. However, ostensibly at Mr Johnson’s request, he threatened to fine Mr Massey for posting a video of him waving the flag, before restoring it after it was heavily blown away.
“We sat here and watched Democrats wave other countries’ flags instead of American flags and surrender completely – and it was planned,” he said. “Mike Johnson should have brought a white flag and waved it in front of us, because it was a complete surrender. It was also humiliating to all Americans who pay taxes just to protect other countries’ borders.
Massey said Republicans will have time over the weekend to think things through before voting.
“Are you going to embrace Hakeem Jeffries like Mike Johnson? When you come back next week, are you going to support the Unionist Party like Mike Johnson? The Americans who gave us the majority. Are you going to fight for it?”
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
