Steve Doocy Flat Out Asks Mike Johnson If He’ll Resign from Congress Over Speaker Drama Giving Dems the House

 

Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy flatly asked Rep. Mike Johnson if he has concerns about losing his job as House Speaker, as many House Republicans have threatened over a vote on the Ukraine aid bill.

The threat to vacate the speakership and replace Mike Johnson is being led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been a vocal critic of Johnson’s leadership in the context of passing bills containing foreign aid packages, particularly for Ukraine.

Johnson seemed to gain the most important political ally late last week, however, when he took a trip to meet former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, who he eventually joined for a joint press conference, which was seen by many as a clear show of support.

Johnson appeared on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning, and Doocy did not demur in cutting right to the chase. He confronted Johnson over any worry he might have of getting ousted and even floated the idea of his resigning from Congress, which would give Democrats control of the House.

Doocy: Mr. Speaker. Ultimately they’ve got to pass the rule first and they will. And then everybody gets to vote. But there are a number of members of your own caucus, Republicans who have said, you know, if you bring up the Ukraine thing, this was a week or so ago, they would vote to vacate you, kick you out of your job. Two questions. One. Is that still a worry? And two, if you if they do vote to vacate and you’re kicked out of your job, if you were to resign from Congress, you could theoretically give the Democrats the majority in the House of Representatives.

Johnson: Look, none of that’s going to happen. I don’t worry about the vacate motion at all. I’m here to do my job. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think what a lot of people were concerned about was us being pressed to pass the Senate supplemental again, where everything’s merged together. This is what conservatives like me and all my friends, Freedom Caucus and otherwise. This is what we desire. This is what we work towards, is to have the regular process of Congress work. And that’s exactly what you’re going to see this week. So again, everybody gets to vote their conscience on each of these measures separately. And I think that resolves the concern. So no I’m not worried about that at all.

So, what’s really at play with this line of question? Doocy didn’t mention the word “retaliate,” but the query surely serves as leverage Johnson can use over Taylor Greene and other House GOP disruptors at a time when he desperately needs any bit of power he can muster. Vote me out as Speaker? OK — I’ll quit and give Democrats the House, which is the underlying “threat” at play here. Of course, the back and forth also offers Johnson the opportunity to take the dismissive high road as well.

Brian Kilmeade asked Johnson how Ronald Reagan would feel about the Ukraine aid package, which elicited a “peace through strength” answer that seemed almost certain to send a message to any House GOP members watching Fox News Tuesday morning.

Watch above via Fox News.

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Colby Hall is the Founding Editor of Mediaite.com. He is also a Peabody Award-winning television producer of non-fiction narrative programming as well as a terrific dancer and preparer of grilled meats.