Rep. Bob Good (R-Viriginia) said on American Family Radio Thursday that Johnson's growing record will likely oust him if Republicans hold a leadership vote after the November elections in the normal course of business.
Wednesday's quick dismissal by the Senate of impeachment articles against Homeland Security Sec. Alejandra Mayorkas is the latest frustration for House Republicans. That Senate roadblock – a straight party-line vote commandeered by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer – was expected and, perhaps, should not be held against Johnson.
No surprise – part of the planChad Groening (AFN) Art Arthur is an immigration attorney and a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies. He tells AFN is wasn't surprised by what Schumer did – even though there was some compelling evidence against the DHS secretary. 
"Some pretty strong statements were made in the articles of impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas with respect to his derogation of his duties to secure the homeland. [But] we knew that the Democrats in the Senate don't want to have a full trial, at which all of the things that have been going on at the southwest border under Secretary Mayorkas' watch are aired," Arthur states. "None of that information is good," he continues, "particularly with respect to that huge majority of the electorate that is increasingly concerned about border security." Still, Arthur admits he was surprised Schumer broke a 240-year-old precedent – and in doing so, set a new precedent. "Now so long as the party that controls the Senate doesn't want to have an impeachment inquiry, there's not going to be a trial in the Senate," he concludes. |
But Good, the House Freedom Caucus chair, and other far-right Republicans believe more could have been done earlier to secure the border. They do hold that against Johnson. The Virginia Republican told show host Jenna Ellis the Senate's actions are just further confirmation of their beliefs.
"The Democrats want the border invasion; they don't see a problem. This is the plan," Good said. "These are undocumented Democrats, they believe, streaming across the border. They don't care about the 10 million pieces of evidence incriminating Mayorkas, the 10 million illegals that he has helped across our border.
"Every resource that he has directed to the border has been with the intention of bringing more illegals in more quickly."
The bloom is off the rose
For months it was not uncommon to hear GOP House members reference the need for Johnson to learn on the job after his hasty election following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last fall. Now Good is one in a number for whom the bloom has left Johnson's rose.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) called for a motion to vacate before the holiday break. Earlier this week, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) went on record in support of Greene's call. Good says now isn't the right time.
"I think we ought to have the contest in November. I don't think Speaker Johnson would have the necessary support to stay speaker because he hasn't done anything to earn that, in my opinion," Good told show host Jenna Ellis.
Johnson announced his plan for individual aid bills for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan on Monday, along with a bill for national security.
Good is irked by Johnson's change from placing the U.S. border ahead of Ukraine funding. He points to what he sees as other leadership failures in removing his support for Johnson.
The House has sought security for the border and accountability for the Biden administration, Johnson said, but only so much can be done with Republicans in control of one chamber of government.
"Elections have consequences. They have the Senate. The American people gave them the Senate, and they're blunting our efforts to hold [the administration] accountable," Good said.
"What we could have done in the House and didn't do – and I blame the Speaker and weak, moderate Republicans who didn't help us – we could have defunded the Senate, the Department of Homeland Security. We could have defunded Mayorkas, and we didn't do that. Instead, we gave them a $3 billion raise in the omnibus [spending package] that was just passed three weeks ago."
Good says Johnson has flipped his positions not only on Ukraine spending but FISA reform as well. The Speaker said just this week:
"I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important. I really do. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we've gotten. I believe Xi [Jinping] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think they're in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed."
The current national debt is more than $34 trillion and climbing. Gas and grocery prices continue to rise. The current rate of inflation is 3.477%, up from February and March.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the Biden administration has spent $75 billion in Ukraine assistance since that country's war with Russia began in 2022.
The numbers rile up the far-right in the House.
The bridge too far
For Good, Johnson's perceived weakness on the border in handling the only leverage the GOP can muster in any governing chamber is a bridge too far.
"[The Speaker] was against Ukraine funding before he was for it. He was for FISA reform to protect America's constitutional liberties until he became against it," said Good. "In both cases, it was because he got briefed from the intelligence community, the military industrial complex, which I guess has scared him. He was for using Ukraine – the Democrats' desire for Ukraine – to secure the border.
"I don't know who he's listening to. I don't know why he's listening to them. I don't know why he's changed his position on so many things," lamented Good, "but it certainly hurts the American people.
"It's hurting our national security. We don't have the $100 billion that we're borrowing to send over there, and I don't believe there is a relevant American national security interest in doing so. We certainly ought to be putting our country and our border first," Good argued.
