Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has warned his colleagues about the dangers of removing House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Johnson can only afford to lose one vote among Republicans when the 119th Congress is sworn in to vote on its new leader.
"The fact is that Mike Johnson inherited a disaster when Matt Gaetz and several of my colleagues teamed up with 208 Democrats to remove Kevin McCarthy, which will go down as the single stupidest thing I've ever seen in politics," Lawler said Sunday on "This Week."
A fight over the speakership could delay other business Congress needs to conduct, like certifying President-elect Donald Trump's electoral victory.
"Removing Mike Johnson would equally be as stupid," Lawler said. "The fact is that these folks are playing with fire. And if they think they're somehow going to get a more conservative speaker, they're kidding themselves."
Johnson drew the wrath of some GOP conference members when he recently agreed to an initial spending deal with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. That agreement was defeated before a continuing resolution eventually was passed to provide funding.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he won't vote for Johnson, while Reps. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Andy Harris, R-Md., said they are undecided.
"Mike Johnson is arguably the most conservative speaker that's ever been elected to the office," Lawler said. "We can't get anything done unless we have a speaker, including certifying President Trump's election on Jan. 6. So to waste time over a nonsensical intramural food fight is a joke."
Lawler said he wouldn't bend to the will of those who want Johnson ousted.
"If they think somehow that they are going to end up in a stronger position by removing Mike Johnson, they're not," Lawler said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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