House Freedom Caucus conservatives are irate as their method of holding the House Speaker accountable has been compromised by their political adversaries in the Democratic party. House Democrats have committed to protect Speaker Mike Johnson in the event his House Republican colleagues mount an attempt to remove him from the Speakership during the remainder of the Congress where the Republican majority rests with just a few votes.
Response to Greene’s Threat
The Democratic commitment came following the increased threat of a vote led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to expel Johnson from the Speakers’ Chair. Greene’s discontentment with Johnson comes from his willingness to work with the democrats to pass legislation that could not be achieved without full Republican consensus, and his willingness to accommodate Biden’s demands.
Limited Support for Greene
At this point, very few Republicans have committed to be willing to back Greene’s initiative. This may be due to the unlikeliness of its success in the House. Following the few votes of support that would be needed to throw the House back into chaos without a leader among the majority party, several Democrats claimed they would act to keep Johnson in his position.
Democratic Support Solidifies
Support for Johnson’s continued leadership include Democratic leaders such as Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar. With these leaders of the Democrat party committing to support Johnson, it is unlikely the vote to vacate the Chair will even be held.
Statement from Democratic Leaders
Rather than the vote of confidence for Johnson signaling agreement with his choices or political decisions, the Democrats see their support for the office of Chair as a vote against the demonstration of “Pro-Putin Republican obstruction” they feel is evidenced by the Freedom Caucus strong-arming tactics.
Greene’s Reaction and Promise
Heedless of the Democratic expressed commitment to retain the speaker through the end of the Congress, Greene nevertheless continues to proceed with her motion to vacate the Chair, setting herself up as the politician to stand against the concessions she sees her party making to the Democrats.
Impromptu Democratic Announcement
The Democrats announced their willingness to support Speaker Johnson while the Republicans held their own press conference.
Johnson’s Initial Reaction
Johnson responded when asked about the announcement during his own press conference, “First I’ve heard of it.” He then continued, “I have to do my job. We have to do what we believe to be the right thing. What the country needs right now is a functioning Congress. They need a Congress that works well, works together, and does not hamper its own ability to solve these problems.”
No Deals Made, Says Johnson
In expressing surprise at the announcement, Johnson signaled that he had not been lobbying or angling for any such protection from his Democratic colleagues.
Potential Political Fallout
While the show of support from the democrats will stabilize him within the institution for the remainder of this Congressional session, it could imperil his future status within the party as members who cooperate with the opposition are often judged harshly and punished by their co-partisan colleagues and even by some constituencies who see them as weak and yielding.
Johnson’s Commitment to Leadership
Johnson continues to echo his commitment to leading the House of Representatives despite pushback from certain sectors of his party.
House Remains at Standstill Without Functional Speaker
Without a functional Speakership, legislation cannot come before the full House for a vote, and all functions of the body will halt and fail until a leader emerges.
Importance of Broad Support
In addition to undertaking a functional House of Representatives, Johnson also emphasizes that a Speaker cannot rely only on a small sliver of support from the most obstructionist sector of the body but must have a broad coalition of support to lead.
Focus on Governance Amidst Global Issues
Between now and November, while the House has a grossly diminished majority among the Republican party, Johnson is relying on the concept of governance rather than gamesmanship to effect the necessary responsibilities of the institution rather than take on political aims.
