Democrats Told CNN’s Manu Raju They Will ‘Save’ Mike Johnson From Hardline Republicans as ‘Bitter Infighting’ Consumes GOP
CNN’s chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, reported on the “bitter infighting” that continues to grip the House GOP. Raju noted that while hardliners like Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) are saying they are ready to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Democrats may step in and vote to save him.
“And there are just so many questions, Wolf, still, about how this will play out,” Raju began while joining CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on air.
“One about the critical policy issues, the aid to Ukraine to Israel to Taiwan that has been stalled here in the House for more than two months now. Will Mike Johnson have the votes to actually advance that? That is an open question,” Raju continued, adding:
Mike Johnson’s new plan has not been formally released yet, even as the speaker is trying to push it. And then what do those conservatives do? What do Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie do? Do they actually call for that vote? They can do that. And they could force a vote within two legislative days. And then what will Democrats do? Will they actually save Johnson? There are some members of the House Democratic Caucus who have told me that they, in fact, will save Mike Johnson, especially if you move down the way they want him to move on Ukraine aid in particular.
So a key moment here for the speaker and the Republican majority, which is devolving into bitter infighting and chaos now threatening the second speaker after the first speaker, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted last fall in unprecedented fashion. Never before in American history has a speaker been kicked out by his own colleagues. Could the second speaker have to be kicked out? And now that is is an open question. Is Mike Johnson’s speakership now imperiled?
“Well, quick follow-up question. Manu, does Congressman Massie want the speaker to resign because the speaker supports aid to Ukraine? Is that what this is all about?” Blitzer asked.
“It is several issues. That is being one of them is deal cutting and keeping the government open another one of them, as well as moving forward on a key surveillance law. Mike Johnson came out opposed to an amendment trying to go after the warrantless surveillance program the FBI is conducting. National security hawks say it’s essential for national security on several of those issues. Johnson, Massie says, Johnson has betrayed the conservative cause,” Raju replied.
Watch the full clip above via CNN.
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