House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has an unlikely ally in his fight to stave off having the gavel ripped from his grasp. Leftist Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) told MSNBC that he may be “inclined” to support the Republican against conservatives angry over recent moves.
Johnson led the House charge to approve another $60 billion in aid to Ukraine despite the U.S. southern border being overrun by millions of illegals.
His position, of course, is favored by liberal Democrats. One is Clyburn, who told host Michael Steele that Johnson is “doing the right thing” by prioritizing another nation’s well being over that of his own.
Johnson drew the ire of conservatives recently by casting the tie-breaking vote in reauthorizing an amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This permitted warrantless spying on U.S. citizens, something that many Republicans rose up against.
Then there’s the massive government outlay to the notoriously corrupt Ukrainian government.
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) threatened to carry out the motion to vacate that would remove Johnson as Speaker. They cite a relationship with the Biden White House and congressional Democrats that is much too cozy.
Mike Johnson’s Speakership is OVER!
He has betrayed Republicans by handing the gavel to Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and the rest of the Democrats.
He betrayed us on border security.
He betrayed us on funding endless foreign wars.
He betrayed us on FISA.
He… pic.twitter.com/zUquP3DNFH
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) April 21, 2024
And if Clyburn and other leftists have his back, that is evidence that the GOP leader is too much aligned with the left.
This is apparent to Greene, who told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that “Mike Johnson’s Speakership is over. He needs to do the right thing to resign and allow us to move forward with a controlled process, and if he doesn’t do so, he will be vacated.”
When asked if she will move forward with her motion to vacate, Greene did not hesitate.
She declared, “It’s coming regardless of what Mike Johnson decides to do.”
Unfortunately for the Georgia Republican and her conservative colleagues, the numbers in the House just do not align with her prediction. Kevin McCarthy was ousted because every Democrat and his GOP opponents voted to remove him.
With the backing from the left — and a sizable contingent of Republicans — Johnson will almost certainly survive any motion to vacate. This is bad news for those opposed to blank checks for foreign wars and close cooperation with the Biden White House.
