Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. (pictured in 2021), on Friday joined Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, R-Ga., resolution to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson after the House voted to open debate on a new foreign aid package. Johnson again had to rely on support from House Democrats to get the measure passed. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI |
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April 19 (UPI) — A third House Republican is seeking to strip the gavel from the hands of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., on Friday announced he will cosponsor Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s resolution to oust Johnson from the speaker’s post in the wake of the House advancing a $95 billion foreign aid package with Democratic support.
Gosar, in his statement backing Johnson’s ouster, referenced his opposition to sending money to Ukraine over providing more funding for border security.
“Rather than spending the resources to secure our southern border and combating the invasion of 11 million illegals and despite repeated promises there would be no additional money going to Ukraine without first securing our border, the United States House of Representatives, under the direction of the speaker, is on the verge of sending another $61 billion to further draw America into an endless and purposeless war in Ukraine,” Gosar wrote.
Gosar joins Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who voiced his support for Greene earlier this month. It’s still unknown when Greene might force the vote to remove Johnson. Some Republicans speculated she’s waiting to gather a larger number of like-minded representatives.
Other Republicans such as Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., have indicated they might join in on the effort.
While Greene this week has been vocal in her disapproval of Johnson’s approach to the Ukraine debate, she stopped short of forcing the vote then.
“I’m a responsible person,” she said Thursday.
If the matter of Johnson’s removal does come to the floor, he would need to reach out again to Democrats to keep his job. Some centrist Democrats who were supportive of the foreign aid bills have said they would be open to the task.
“I would be one of the first to raise my hand and say that I want to be part of that conversation, to see if we can really govern together or be in a position where he’s able to govern and bring those bipartisan bills,” Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, told Politico.
“I have said over and over that bringing us bipartisan bills is such a huge part of this role as speaker right now, and that those bills will pass. We just need them.”
Johnson already is at odds with the GOP over his willingness to negotiate with Democrats to pass a federal spending plan and to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.