A moderate Democrat in the House is floating a rule change designed to protect Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) from efforts by the far right to remove him.
At the moment, there are several bipartisan bills stalled in Congress, including aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. It will also be necessary to pass bipartisan bills on the budget to keep the government from completely shutting down. Some on the right have warned Johnson about bringing them to the floor.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) is sponsoring the resolution to change House rules that will require that a "motion to vacate" the speaker's chair receive the support of the Republican or Democratic leadership to be brought to the floor.
Currently, any one member can offer a "motion to vacate" and bring the House to a screeching halt. This is no way to run a government, and there are several Republicans who want to amend the rule to make it harder to change speakers. But coming from a moderate Democrat, the measure could gain enough Democratic support to pass.
[Kevin] McCarthy was removed in October after the House passed a bipartisan bill to avoid a government shutdown.
Some Democrats have suggested they would oppose another conservative-led motion to vacate to avoid emboldening the hardliners.
Others have suggested that McCarthy was uniquely distrusted on their side – and that Johnson, by contrast, has more goodwill.
Congress is frozen in place. But is this any way to untangle the mess?
Johnson should be given a little leeway to extricate the GOP from this mess and find a way to legislate a way through the muddle. It may take a little more time than Democrats want, but that's the reality of the situation.
Does it even have to be said that Johnson would be an idiot to agree to any plan coming from a Democrat?
Johnson is facing pressure from lawmakers in both parties to hold a vote on one of several bipartisan bills providing aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), however, has said she would introduce a motion to vacate if Johnson puts Ukraine aid on the floor.
Congress is also approaching several federal funding deadlines which will require bipartisan legislation to keep the government from shutting down – which could in turn invite the wrath of the right.
Johnson himself has knocked down suggestions to change the rules and make it harder for any one member of the GOP caucus to fire him. And Johnson has one big advantage. It may only take one member to advance a "motion to vacate" but do any Republicans really want another speaker election?
Johnson is fairly safe as long as he doesn't do something stupid like take part in a Democratic plan to keep him in the speaker's chair.
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