2 House members lead the charge to oust the speaker. Both have been accused of trafficking in antisemitism.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) April 16. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh April 16, 2024
The two Republicans leading the charge to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson over emergency foreign aid bills — including one for Israel — have both been accused of trafficking in antisemitism.
Johnson, who called himself a “wartime” speaker on Tuesday, is trying to push four foreign aid bills through the House in the wake of Iran’s attack on Israel Saturday. At the same time he is rebuffing calls for his ouster over the bills from two far-right members of his own party — Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky. A bipartisan $95 billion aid package to help Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan passed overwhelmingly by the Senate in February.
Massie during a closed House Republican Conference meeting Tuesday morning said he would co-sponsor a measure introduced by Greene for Johnson’s removal. She filed the motion after Johnson said he would introduce four separate bills on the floor, dividing aid to Israel from aid to Ukraine after fierce pushback by some House members who oppose sending aid to Ukraine.
Greene, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been accused in the past of making antisemitic remarks — including her suggestion that a Jewish-funded space laser had sparked wildfires in California in 2018. Massie has consistently voted against pro-Israel legislation and resolutions to condemn antisemitism. Both voted against the Republican stand-alone bill of $14.3 billion in aid to Israel in November, which would also have forced deep cuts in the Internal Revenue Service’s budget.
Their threat could derail a foreign aid package favored by many Republicans and Democrats, including President Joe Biden. In addition to the bills to provide aid to Israel and Ukraine, a third would assist Taiwan and a fourth would address other national security issues.
Who is Thomas Massie?
Massie has consistently voted against funding for Israel’s Iron Dome, including during the 2014 war in Gaza, and also opposed resolutions denouncing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and condemning rising antisemitism. Last year, he opposed a resolution celebrating the U.S.-Israel alliance on the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence.
Massie was the only House member in 2022 to vote against a resolution that calls on the government to take comprehensive measures to safeguard Jewish individuals and organizations from antisemitism. In December, Massie was the only Republican to oppose a GOP resolution condemning antisemitism and anti-Zionism on university campuses. He also voted against a bipartisan Holocaust education bill.
The Republican Jewish Coalition, which generally supports the party’s incumbents, opposed Massie’s reelection in 2020.
Massie endorsed Florida Gov Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, appearing with him on the campaign trail before the Iowa’s Caucuses in January.
What’s next?
Johnson introduced the four-part proposal, decoupling aid for Israel and Ukraine, on Monday. It’s scheduled for a floor vote on Friday and would need a simple majority to pass.
Republicans hold only a one-seat advantage in the House, but several Democratic members have indicated they would support its passage. “This is one of the most critical votes that we’ll take, so I’m very open to whatever it takes to get this done,” said Rep. Greg Landsman, a Jewish Democrat from Ohio.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told his Democratic caucus on Tuesday that they would stand firm in opposing any reduction from the current Senate bill’s allocation for humanitarian relief, including for Palestinians in Gaza. However, Democrats are withholding their position on the package as a whole until they review the actual text.
If the bills pass they would be sent back to the Senate for a vote, and then combined into one package to be signed by the president.
Democrats, watching the House’s hesitation on the aid bills, are also considering using a “discharge petition” to could compel a floor vote on the aid package that would not require the speaker’s approval. The petition has garnered signatures from 195 lawmakers, falling more than a dzoen votes short of the 218 majority it would need.
Will Johnson lose his job?
The House GOP ousted Johnson’s predecessor, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, less than six months ago, after which it discarded three nominees before settling on Johnson. To many watching Congress, the GOP House leadership feels far from settled.
Some House Democrats are reportedly considering intervening to save Johnson if he comes closer to their position on the aid.
Massie said on Tuesday that he privately warned Johnson last month that Democrats would not help bail him out and called for Johnson to step down to allow the selection of another Republican before the house turns into chaos.
“I am not resigning,” Johnson said at a press conference after Tuesday’s GOP meeting. “We need steady leadership. We need steady hands on the wheel.”
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