The votes are building for the ousting of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) announced his co-sponsorship of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) resolution to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his position.
- Gosar, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, expressed his support shortly after the House passed a foreign aid package without border security measures, which was supported by Democrats.
- In his statement, Gosar criticized the lack of attention to border security and accused the current Speaker of prioritizing the interests of what he described as warmongers and the military industrial complex over national interests.
- Gosar is the third Republican to support the resolution, following Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) who endorsed it earlier.
So what does it take to oust the Speaker of the House?
To vote out the Speaker of the House in the United States, the process generally involves a motion or resolution being presented to the House of Representatives calling for a vote of no confidence or a vote to vacate the chair. Here’s how it typically works:
Introduction of the Motion: A member of the House would need to introduce a motion or resolution to declare the office of the Speaker vacant. This is sometimes referred to as a "motion to vacate the chair."
Scheduling the Vote: The motion would then need to be scheduled for a vote. The scheduling can be immediate or could take some time, depending on the rules of the House and the decisions by the House leadership.
Majority Vote Required: For the motion to pass, a majority of the voting members must vote in favor of it. This means that more than half of the members present and voting must agree to remove the Speaker.
Political Considerations: Such a motion is highly political and can be contentious. It generally reflects significant dissatisfaction with the Speaker's leadership either from within their own party or from the opposition. It is relatively rare due to the potential for significant political fallout and the disruption it can cause within the House.
Outcome: If the motion passes, the office of the Speaker becomes vacant, and the House would then proceed to elect a new Speaker. If the motion fails, the Speaker remains in office.
