Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia has consistently expressed strong opposition to providing US aid to Ukraine, even before her fellow Republicans joined in.
Greene had been consistently expressing her strong stance on Ukraine aid, making it clear that it was a red line for her. She even hinted at the possibility of initiating a “motion to vacate” against Johnson if he continued to allow aid to pass the House. Aware of this threat, certain Democrats expressed their willingness to shield Johnson from any potential removal if it was connected to the vote on Ukraine aid.
By filing her resolution on Friday to protest Johnson’s handling of government funding, Greene has inadvertently given House Democrats a significant amount of leverage.
Democrats, who constitute the majority of potential votes to remove Johnson from office, now have a straightforward and concise demand for the GOP leader: bring the Ukraine aid to a vote, and in return, we will set aside any motion to remove him from power that arises as a consequence.
Lawmakers may have to make critical decisions regarding the $95.3 billion national security supplemental. This package, approved by the Senate in February, allocates $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel. Senator Johnson has expressed his desire to vote on individual aid packages for Ukraine and Israel.
“I couldn’t care less if he votes for the bill. What I really want is for him to bring it,” stated Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia during a press conference on Friday, in reference to the bill that was passed by the Senate. “Once that happens, I would motion to table it.”
In October, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida took action to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position. McCarthy had recently sparked anger among Democrats by initiating an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, and they had numerous grievances against him that were not easily resolved. Furthermore, McCarthy made it clear that he did not desire assistance from Democrats.
Many Democrats may not be inclined to defend Johnson, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who expressed her opposition to the Senate-passed national security supplemental on CNN. She made it clear that she would not support him due to the issue of Israel aid.
“I cannot support a candidate for speaker who does not believe in women’s rights, who does not believe in bodily autonomy, and who has openly endorsed overturning a presidential election,” expressed Ocasio-Cortez.
Democrats can effectively block Johnson by simply voting against Greene’s motion to vacate and opting to table it. They don’t necessarily have to vote for Johnson. It’s not even necessary for all Democrats or a majority of them to do so. They just need to have enough votes to outnumber the Republicans who choose to support Greene.
House Democrats are expected to come together and collectively decide on their approach to the matter, making it premature to predict the exact outcome. It is conceivable that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries may deem it a vote of conscience, granting individual members the freedom to follow their own paths.
Johnson’s approach to the situation remains unclear.
Republican Rep. Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a staunch advocate for Ukraine aid, revealed during an interview on CBS that Senator Johnson has made a commitment to hold a vote on Ukraine aid “after Easter.”
With the cat’s revelation, Johnson can now move forward with the knowledge that as long as he holds a vote on Ukraine aid that satisfies the Democrats, his position is secure, at least until November.
