Mar 24, 2024
TOM BRENNER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Amid a motion to vacate resolution being filed against House Speaker Mike Johnson, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, predicted on CNN‘s State of the Union on Sunday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries taking over the role is becoming an “increasingly likely” reality.
“My vote will most likely be for Speaker Jeffries, which becomes an increasingly likely reality day-after-day as Republicans pursue midterm resignations,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Context:
On Friday, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, filed a motion to hold a vote on whether to remove Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, from his leadership position after he held a vote on a bill to fund the federal government and avert a shutdown that was opposed by the GOP conference’s most staunchly conservative lawmakers. The motion is unprivileged, meaning it does not automatically force a vote. Greene told reporters it was “more of a warning” for Johnson, accusing him of a “betrayal” of Republican voters.
While a vote is not expected to be held on the motion in the coming days, the resolution leaves Johnson in a potentially vulnerable position as he considers bringing forward future legislation.
What We Know:
During Sunday’s interview, Ocasio-Cortez was asked by CNN host Jake Tapper how she and other Democratic representatives would vote.
The congresswoman noted she would likely be voting for Jeffries, adding that Democrats work as a team and would not be inclined to keep Johnson “out of sympathy for Republican.”
“I think for those of us or any Democrat inclined, I don’t think we do that for free. I don’t think we do that out of sympathy for Republicans. I think the realities of governance is there, we want to make sure that governance continues and that responsible governance continues and that tends to happen under a Democratic majority,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Greene’s motion comes after Representative Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican, stepped down Friday, leaving the Republicans’ majority to shrink by five members, with a makeup of 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. This means that if a vote is held, Johnson could only afford two defections without turning to Democrats who may demand concessions on policy issues such as the foreign aid bill.
Update 3/24/24, 9:48 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
Although this might still be a far away dream, I do hope that AOC is right. Johnson must be booted ASAP. He has been a non-stop disaster. Hakeem Jeffries is far more pro-Ukrainian and a less corruptible person than the sack of shit, Johnson.
Good development, but glacially slow from a Ukrainian standpoint. The situation is CRITICAL.
Jeffries btw is strongly pro-Ukraine.
AOC and her “squad” are all tankies; they can’t be trusted.