Rep. Don Bacon warned Sunday that it is “possible” that Speaker Mike Johnson could face a vote to oust him if he moves to pass. Ukrainian aid at home.
“I’m not going to rule it out,” said NBC News’ “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker about whether Johnson could lose the speakership over Ukraine aid.
“We have one or two people who aren’t a team — they’re not team players. They’d rather enjoy the social media spotlight,” Bacon added, but did not name any members.
“It’s a very narrow majority and one or two people can make us a minority.
Bacon favors some support for Ukraine, and the Ukraine aid bill was co-sponsored by Brian Fitzpatrick, D-Maine, R-Pa. and highlighted his partnership with Reps. Ed Case, D-Hawaii.
“We’ve put together a bill that focuses on a $66 billion bill providing military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan,” Bacon said, calling for a “bicameral, bipartisan solution.”
“If we do this bill, and I think we will, there’s enough support in the House to do it. And — and I want to make sure we have support in the Senate,” Bacon said.
Bacon said he “hoped the speaker would win. He’s doing the right thing.”
He also suggested that Democrats might join several Republicans in trying to save Johnson’s speakership.
“I think there are going to be Democrats who don’t want to see this dysfunction. I think they’re probably going to vote or not be there to vote,” Bacon said.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, DS.C., suggested earlier Sunday that there is a scenario in which Bacon may be right.
“You would protect [Johnson] Was there a move to remove him from office for delivering Ukraine aid?” Welker asked Clyburn earlier on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“I am with our leader, [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries,” Clyburn said, adding, “If he called me and said, ‘Look, I’d like your vote to support Johnson,’ he understood.”
Bacon also hinted to Welker that Ukraine aid would come up for a vote, saying he had “a commitment from the speaker and the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee that we’re going to put it on the floor and — get a vote.”
A House vote on aid to Ukraine could pose a risk to Johnson’s speakership, given the split in the House Republican Conference on the issue and the party’s razor-thin majority.
Before the House goes on a two-week recess for Easter, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga. petitioned for dismissalthat could lead to a House vote to oust Johnson.
Greene did not file the motion under privilege, which would have given the House 48 hours to vote on the proposal.
Shortly after he filed, Greene warned“He should not bring financial resources to Ukraine,” he said.
Another contentious issue dividing House Republicans is the status of the ongoing impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, led by House Oversight Chairman James Comer. Bacon suggested Sunday that the investigation may not uncover criminal wrongdoing.
“Right now, the lawyers on the committee that I’m talking to are saying that there is no specific crime and it’s necessary for a high felony or a misdemeanor,” Bacon said.
The statement contradicts Comer’s recent actions he said in a fundraising email last week he is “making criminal referrals as the culmination of my investigation.”
A representative for Comer did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
Still, Bacon said, “I think it was an investigation—it deserved an investigation.”
“[Let’s] lay out the facts, let the public look at it, make a decision, and I think it’s good to be transparent, especially – we’re in an election year.”
But when asked if it was time to end the president’s investigation if there was no evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors against Welker, Bacon said, “I don’t know if the time has come yet, but I think we’re probably nearing completion.” this study.”
The White House denied wrongdoing by Biden in December he said House Republicans continued on a “path of failure” with their investigation.