Mike Johnson's House Speaker Job Now in Jeopardy as Backlash Against Massive Spending Bill Grows: Report
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job is potentially in jeopardy due to his support of a massive end-of-the-year spending bill.
Congressional leaders had struck a bipartisan deal to fund the government until March 14 through what’s called a continuing resolution, but several add-ons were included, making it roughly a 1,500-page bill. Those add-ons included $100 billion in disaster relief, $30 billion for farmers, funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and a hefty pay raise for lawmakers.
Without action, the federal government faces a shutdown Friday at midnight.
Several conservative Republicans initially came out in opposition to the CR, followed by Department of Government Efficiency co-chair Elon Musk and finally President-elect Donald Trump.
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted Wednesday on social media platform X.
Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
Conservatives want a “clean” CR with no add-ons.
Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday that he wants disaster relief and support for farmers kept in, without “Democrat giveaways.”
“If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF,” he added.
Fox News reported because of Johnson’s involvement in helping negotiate the deal with the Democrat-controlled Senate, names are being floated to replace him as speaker when the House votes on Jan. 3.
Two GOP lawmakers told the outlet that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida have all been mentioned as potential replacements.
All three names were in the mix in the fall of 2023 when Johnson ultimately prevailed with a unanimous vote after then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted for striking a spending deal with Democrats.
Fox cited an unnamed source close to Jordan as saying he is “not interested in challenging Johnson.”
GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the first to go on record and say he will not be voting for Johnson to remain speaker.
Republicans only hold a five-seat majority in the House, meaning Johnson can only lose a few members and still prevail.
Politico reported that Johnson is weighing a backup option of just putting forward a “clean” continuing resolution and then dealing with disaster relief funding and other issues after the Republicans take full control of Congress next month.
The outlet said as of Wednesday afternoon “dozens” of Republicans had come out in opposition to the current proposal.
The Hill reported House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Democrats will not support a clean CR.
“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow,” he posted on X.
House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government.
And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support.
You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) December 18, 2024
Musk declared victory on Wednesday afternoon, posting, “Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead.”
Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed!
VOX POPULI
VOX DEI— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
“The voice of the people has triumphed! he added. “VOX POPULI VOX DEI [Latin for The voice of the people is the voice of God].”
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