A third House Republican lawmaker is jumping on board the effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., over his plan for foreign aid.
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., released a statement shortly after Johnson’s plan – four bills that amount to $95 billion in spending – survived a key procedural vote on the House floor with more Democratic support than Republican.
He bashed House GOP leaders for not linking his foreign aid proposal, particularly a bill sending money to Ukraine, to U.S. border security measures – frustration shared by other conservative foreign aid skeptics who voted to block the plan from getting a vote on final passage.
“[R]ather than spending the resources to secure our southern border and combating the invasion of 11 million illegals and despite repeated promises there would be no additional money going to Ukraine without first securing our border, the United States House of Representatives, under the direction of the Speaker, is on the verge of sending another $61 billion to further draw America into an endless and purposeless war in Ukraine,” Gosar said in a statement.
“I have added my name in support of the motion to vacate the Speaker. Our border cannot be an afterthought. We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of the warmongers, neo-cons and the military industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away.”
He’s signed onto a resolution filed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., last month in protest of Johnson’s handling of foreign aid and government spending, known as a motion to vacate – under current House rules, just one lawmaker is needed to file it to trigger a House-wide vote on booting the speaker.
Greene refused to discuss the motion to vacate with reporters after the foreign aid vote on Friday. She posted on X soon after, however, “And now there are three. Thank you to [Paul Gosar] for cosponsoring my motion to vacate Speaker Johnson!”
House leaders do not have to put Greene’s resolution up for a vote unless she files it at “privileged,” at which point it’s required that lawmakers act on it within two legislative days.
