Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said Tuesday he may “motion to vacate” House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) from his post as the ranking House Republican. It’s the same parliamentary procedure Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) used to oust former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
The danger to Johnson’s position as House Speaker came as frustration mounted among more conservative Republicans over the House spending package bipartisan congressional leaders hammered out over the weekend. The House Freedom Caucus is also growing increasingly frustrated with a lack of funding for border security on the U.S. border with Mexico.
🚨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 told BlazeTV host Steve Deace. “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.”
Meanwhile, Roy wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “[The House GOP] FAILED to use its leverage to force cuts to inflationary spending We must reject this ‘deal’ w/ Dems that will INCREASE spending by ~$30 BILLION & fund agencies at war with our liberty & security – like Mayorkas’ DHS.”
.@HouseGOP FAILED to use its leverage to force cuts to inflationary spending
We must reject this "deal" w/ Dems that will INCREASE spending by ~$30 BILLION & fund agencies at war with our liberty & security – like Mayorkas' DHS#NoGimmicks #NoSideDeals #NoSecurityNoFunding pic.twitter.com/XRBmzUshyz
— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) January 9, 2024
Under current House rules, a single member can “motion to vacate,” triggering the process that could lead to a vote of no confidence for Rep. Mike Johnson as it did for Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Not every Republican lawmaker on Capitol Hill agrees with Rep. Roy.
“Anyone that wants to go in that direction is showing how unserious they are about us maintaining the majority,” Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) told Fox News Digital. “It looks like they’re just trying to sabotage the future, and they’re working for Joe Biden at that point.”
Calling a motion to vacate “a ludicrous notion,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) meanwhile said, “Nobody should be bringing up the word vacate. The speaker is doing and getting the best deal you can get with [ … ] 1/3 of government. We should support him.”
