Another conservative has joined the list of Republicans vying to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson over his decision to push Ukraine aid at the expense of securing the southern border.
Arizona’s Paul Gosar on Friday said he’s all in with fellow Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky in their crusade to boot Mr. Johnson.
The lawmaker cited the speaker’s decision to barrel ahead with a $60 billion Ukraine aid bill that doesn’t include border security provisions as his main reason for co-sponsoring Ms. Greene’s motion to vacate the chair.
“I have added my name in support of the motion to vacate the speaker. Our border cannot be an afterthought,” Mr. Gosar said. “We need a speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of the warmongers, neocons and the military-industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away.”
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has faced intense scrutiny from conservatives for his $95 billion foreign aid package, which roughly mirrors the Senate’s foreign spending bundle that the speaker had rebuked.
Mr. Johnson was willing to risk his job over the package, which passed a procedural hurdle on the House floor Friday with the aid of Democrats.
The three conservatives haven’t put a hard date on when they might trigger the motion to vacate. Most Republicans are either against the move or contend it’s the wrong time to remove the speaker ahead of November’s elections.