Representative Thomas Massie announced on Tuesday that he is joining Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's effort to oust Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
"I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I'm cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by @RepMTG. He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker," Massie, a Kentucky Republican, wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
Greene, a Georgia Republican, introduced an unprivileged motion to vacate against Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, in March after he passed a $1.2 trillion spending package with Democratic support to fund the government.
Newsweek reached out to Johnson's office for comment via email.
The Context
Johnson has found himself increasingly at odds with some conservatives who have voiced opposition to his recent actions. He has angered some on the right by saying he plans to hold a vote on aid for Ukraine, a red line for Greene, and supporting a bill aimed at forcing the sale of social media platform TikTok.
His right-wing critics argue he has not taken enough action on conservative priorities, such as funding for border security. However, due to the GOP's slim majority in Congress, Johnson must rely on moderate Republicans or Democrats to pass any legislation, meaning the most conservative policies have struggled to gain traction.
What We Know
Greene's motion to vacate is unprivileged, meaning she has not forced a vote on removing Johnson, though she has continued doubling down on her threat to call for a vote on the motion if he passed a bill to provide supplemental aid to Ukraine as it continues battling Russia for control of its easternmost regions.
Massie would be the second Republican lawmaker to come out in favor of vacating the speakership.
In a follow up post on X, Massie wrote that Johnson told him he would not resign.
"I said to him that he is the only one who can prevent us from going through what happened last fall," Massie added.
Cami Mondeaux, a reporter for The Washington Examiner, posted on X that Johnson said the idea of his resignation is an "absurd notion"
"It is not helpful to the cause, it is not helpful to the country. It does not help the House Republicans advance our agenda," he said, according to Mondeaux.
Views
Greene responded to Massie's support in a post on X.
"Speaker Johnson must announce a resignation date and allow Republicans to elect a new Speaker to put America First and pass a Republican agenda. Thank you to @RepThomasMassie for cosponsoring my Motion to Vacate. It's time for a new Speaker," she wrote.
Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, responded to Massie on X, writing "My position hasn't changed. Massie wants the world to burn, I won't stand by and watch. I have a bucket of water."
Moskowitz has indicated he would not vote to remove Johnson if a vote on the motion is held.
"I don't know what Republicans are thinking, but this can't do anything but hurt them in the November elections. The Republican House is an utter mess, and voters are likely getting sick and tired of it," posted commentator Ed Krassenstein.
"Massie's gettin sassy," wrote Grace Chong, the CFO/COO of Steve Bannon's War Room.
What's Next
Greene has still not indicated she plans to bring the motion up for a vote.
A vote were to be held, it appears increasingly likely that Johnson would have to rely on Democrats to save him, as Representative Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, is set to depart from Congress at the end of the week.
Due to other vacancies, this would leave Johnson with room for only one Republican detractor, barring any Democratic support. Until those vacancies are filled in special elections, Congress will consist of 217 Republicans and 213 Democrats.
Update 4/16/24, 10:55 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 4/16/24, 11:31 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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