Democrat to PROTECT Speaker Mike Johnson from being ousted like Kevin McCarthy in exchange for vote on $95 billion foreign aid to Israel and Ukraine: New measure would require leadership sign-off on any attempt by GOP hardliners to remove him from office

A moderate Democrat has shared a plan with his colleagues to protect Republican Speaker Mike Johnson from being ousted like his predecessor Kevin McCarthy. 

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., is reportedly circulating a proposal that would require members of Democratic or Republican leadership to first approve a ‘motion to vacate’ the speaker before a vote on the floor.

Currently, only one member needs to file a motion to vacate the speaker for the measure to get a full vote on the floor – a rule McCarthy agreed to as he negotiated with Republicans for the gavel last January.

But the bipartisanship measure would come at a cost, according to documents obtained by Axios. 

The Democrat’s speaker protection proposal would be contingent on the Senate’s recently-passed $95 billion foreign package for Israel and Ukraine getting a vote on the House floor, which Johnson and other hardline conservatives are decidedly against. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has signaled that a foreign aid package passed by the Senate would not get a vote on the House floor

Former Speaker for the House Kevin McCarthy was booted from the job after one Republican introduced a motion to vacate the position in October 2023 

Rep. Matt Gaetz had many disagreements with McCarthy before tanking his speakership

But Johnson is facing increasing calls from both sides of the aisle to bring the bipartisan measure to the floor – which provides over $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel as it fights Russia and also funds for Taiwan as it faces Chinese aggression.

Democrats believe Johnson may be willing to schedule a vote the foreign aid package, but are weary a single conservative hardliner could derail progress with a motion to remove the speaker.

And for good reason.

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., has said that the motion to vacate is ‘a good tool,’ signaling he is open to removing Speaker Johnson over policy disagreements. 

Additionally, GOP firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has said she would force a vote to vacate the speaker if a foreign aid bill is brought to the floor. 

In October 2023, one member, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., did just that and forced the House to vote on whether they wanted to keep McCarthy in power, ultimately leading to his removal from leadership.

McCarthy passed a short-term bipartisan government funding deal just days before he was voted out of leadership. 

It then took weeks for Republicans to unify around a new leader amid rampant turmoil.

If Democrats get Gottheimer’s proposal passed, which is unlikely, it could give them leverage in a future funding showdown if Republicans attempt to remove Johnson.

The White House, meanwhile, has blamed Russian battlefield victories on House Republicans, saying their delaying foreign aid to the embattled country has cost land and lives. 

‘House Republicans are on Day 5 of an early, undeserved vacation while their inaction does escalating damage to our national security,’ White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said Tuesday. 

‘Russia just saw its most significant gains in Ukraine in nearly a year because Ukraine is running low on supplies and Congress has failed to pass critically needed support,’ he added.  

Speaker Johnson’s office did not return a request for comment.