House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) suggested that Democrats could help President Johnson save his job if he stands up to pro-Putin Republicans.
Transcript from Leader Jeffries on CBS’s Face The Nation:
REPRESENTATIVE. JEFFRIES: –we can support our democratic allies in Ukraine and Israel, humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians who are in danger, support our allies in the Indo-Pacific. That’s a question Mike Johnson asks himself, when he knows the House has the votes to act on behalf of America’s national security interests. The reason this isn’t happening is because there is a pro-Putin faction in the Republican Party, led by Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, that is blocking this legislation. And this is shameful.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will you protect President Johnson from a vacate motion if he takes that vote? Will you prevent him from being ousted?
REPRESENTATIVE. JEFFRIES: We haven’t had that conversation as a caucus. But I made the observation that I believe there are a reasonable number of members, if the President were to do the right thing, who do not believe he should fall because of this.
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Video:
Hakeem Jeffries slams pro-Putin Republicans for blocking aid to Ukraine: “There is a pro-Putin faction in the Republican Party, led by Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, that is blocking this legislation.” pic.twitter.com/ViJviPrsZS
– Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 10, 2024
Leader Jeffries would not support keeping Johnson in the job or tell Democrats to vote for Johnson. He would free up the Democratic caucus for him to vote his conscience. He is certain there are some moderate Democrats in Republican-leaning districts who would vote to keep Johnson as president.
With Democrats likely to win the House in November, keeping Johnson for a few more months doesn’t matter.
Perhaps just three out of four Democratic votes would be enough for Johnson to reject the vacate motion, which Marjorie Taylor Greene has promised to bring to the floor if aid to Ukraine is approved in any form.
So far, President Johnson has shown neither spine nor backbone when it comes to standing up to Putin’s caucus at the House Republican conference, but if by some miracle he has, Leader Jeffries is making it known that if the president does the right thing, Democrats may not let Greene do what she wants.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press pool and a congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
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