House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) survived a bid by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to oust him from the speakership thanks to Democrats killing her effort, but some may be having second thoughts.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) told NBC News he believes Democrats made a mistake by killing the motion to vacate against him, arguing Johnson’s visit to former President Donald Trump’s trial in Manhattan has exposed the House speaker’s “true colors.”
“It showed his true colors and why, with good intentions, we made a mistake in strategically saving his job,” Connolly said. “Because now we have enabled him to act with impunity like he did.”
The effort to oust Johnson was tabled by an overwhelming majority in a 359-43 bipartisan vote, with most Republicans and Democrats electing to keep Johnson in power rather than risk another long, bitter speaker election like in January and October 2023.
The House speaker told the outlet he does not think he will face another motion to vacate this year, noting how most members want a “functioning Congress.”
“What I think most people in this building recognize is that the nation desperately needs a functioning Congress right now,” Johnson said. “These are very dangerous times in which we are living. We have hot wars going on around the globe. And we have all the unrest. Even here domestically, we’ve had the open border, so we have a potentially very dangerous situation here on our own shores.”
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Johnson was one of several Republicans who have made the trek to Manhattan to support Trump as he attends his hush money trial.
Other Republicans who joined Trump in New York City included Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and J.D. Vance (R-OH), along with Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Cory Mills (R-FL).
