As some conservatives consider removing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), proposed House rules announced Wednesday would raise the bar for removing a speaker.
The proposed House rules would raise the bar for filing a motion to resign, the parliamentary procedure for removing the Speaker of the House. The new standard requires a member of the majority party (in this case, the Republican Party) and eight additional members of the same party to sign a motion to vacate the chair to remove the speaker.
This is a significant change to avoid the possibility of Mr Johnson being expelled. Under previous rules, only one member of the House could submit a motion to resign.
Some Republicans are considering supporting a move that could oust Mr. Johnson, but President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 30 that he would oust Mr. Johnson after 11 days of twisting the chair. I supported it.
Mr. Trump wrote in relatively boilerplate language:
We must not waste this wonderful opportunity given to us. The American people need immediate relief from all of the previous administration's destructive policies. Chairman Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working, and godly man. He will do the right thing and we will continue to win. Mike has my full and complete support. Maga! !
President Trump was reportedly furious that Johnson failed to raise the debt ceiling as part of the latest government spending deal.
Featured — Exclusive — Steve Bannon: “Johnson must go to Speaker of the House”:
Despite the president-elect's endorsement of Johnson, some conservatives believe he may not have the votes to become speaker.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has vowed to vote for someone other than Johnson, and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) says he and many of his other Republican colleagues are still undecided. He said he had not done so.
If Mr. Massey votes against Mr. Johnson, Louisiana leaders would only need to lose one more Republican on the House floor to keep the speaker's gavel.
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) said Republicans “need to get assurances” from Mr. Johnson that he won't sell them into the “swamp” of Washington, D.C.
house rules change I was furious People across the aisle.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), ranking member of the House Rules Committee, scolded Republicans for allowing only members of the majority party to submit a motion to resign.
“Their proposed changes would, for the first time in American history, shield the Speaker of the House from accountability to the entire chamber,” McGovern said.
“The American people didn't vote for whatever this is,” he continued. “Democrats better believe they won't allow Republicans to turn the House of Representatives into a rubber stamp for extremist policies.”
The House will convene Friday to elect a speaker, swear in members and vote on a rules package.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter at Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
