House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could be headed in the same direction as former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who was ousted from the speakership after House Republicans initiated a motion to vacate. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) recently said he would not rule out using the measure against Johnson.
Roy, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said the “motion to vacate” against Johnson has not been ruled out after the House speaker passed a bipartisan spending package that was opposed by several Republicans in the chamber.
🚨Caught up with CHIP ROY in Iowa on his MOTION TO VACATE comments:
“Speaker Johnson is doing all the same stupid crap that we opposed.” pic.twitter.com/D2I8iXHS1o— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) January 9, 2024
“I’m leaving it on the table. I’m not gonna say I’m gonna go file it tomorrow night. I’m not saying I’m not gonna file it tomorrow. I think the speaker needs to know that we’re angry about it,” Roy said in an interview with the Blaze host Steve Deace.
In January 2023, amid a days-on-end battle to secure the speakership, McCarthy made several concessions with House Republicans, which included allowing just one lawmaker to initiate the “motion to vacate” process that would prompt a no-confidence vote to remove the House speaker.
In October 2023, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) paved the way to boot McCarthy from the speakership by triggering a “motion to vacate” after the House passed a stopgap spending measure to avoid a government shutdown. The Florida congressman was joined by seven Republicans and House Democrats to remove McCarthy.
Johnson eventually succeeded McCarthy as House Speaker but could soon face the same problems the former California lawmaker did.
Although Johnson touted a “topline” $1.59 trillion figure for fiscal year 2024 spending, Roy said such a package ignores options reached during McCarthy’s tenure as House speaker and contains “budget gimmicks,” allowing spending to increase over the $1.66 trillion omnibus spending bill passed under then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Johnson passed the bipartisan spending package amid criticism from Democrats and President Joe Biden, who said Republicans would lose their support if they included “poison pill policy changes” in any 2024 spending bills.
“If they totally botch it — we get no policy reforms and we’re spending $1.66 trillion, I don’t know why we would keep him as speaker,” Roy said.
