House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hinted that “reasonable” Democrats could throw a lifeline to Speaker Mike Johnson in the event of a GOP mutiny against him.
Jeffries (D-NY) was noncommittal about whether he would actively recruit Democrats to bail out Johnson (R-La.) but suggested a rescue would take place if the speaker helps pass a $95 billion supplemental package that includes Ukraine aid.
“I believe that there are a reasonable number of Democrats who would not want to see the speaker fall as a result of doing the right thing,” Jeffries said during a presser.
“Observation, not a declaration because we have to have a conversation … amongst ourselves as House Democrats before making such a solemn decision.”
The No. 1 House Democrat urged Johnson to take a vote on the $95 billion package that passed the Senate back in February and allocated some $60 billion toward Ukraine efforts.
Already, at least one House Republican — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has dangled a motion to vacate the chair or oust the speaker, if he moves on Ukraine.
Johnson previously told The Post that he intended to take up a bill to replenish aid to war-torn Ukraine after finishing off the appropriations process for fiscal year 2024, which Congress did last month.
The speaker has been coy about the exact contours of a Ukraine bill but has floated three potential avenues: a loan to Ukraine, seizing and liquidating frozen Russian assets, and leveraging the Biden administration to lift a pause on approvals for new liquid natural gas export terminals in exchange for approving the aid.
Greene introduced a motion to vacate the chair around the time Johnson wrangled through the last of the appropriations bill. But her motion wasn’t privileged, and therefore, didn’t automatically get a vote.
Johnson and Greene met Wednesday to air out their differences. She bashed him afterward for making “a lot of excuses” and kept a motion to vacate on the table.
Jeffries predicted the Senate’s Ukraine bill would pass if put up on the floor for a vote by Johnson.
“The only way to get the bill over the finish line is with Democrats and Republicans partnering with each other,” the minority leader said.
“We have already demonstrated that we will provide more than our fair share of the votes to get the national security bill done.”
Ukraine has been struggling with munition shortages and has faced several key setbacks on the battlefield over recent months. The war-torn ally is bracing for a possible renewed Russian offensive in the coming weeks.
President Biden had pleaded with Congress to re-up aid to Ukraine since at least August last year.
In addition to strife over Ukraine, Johnson is also staring down discontent over his push to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) before its expiration on April 19.
Greene has cited this as an issue for her as well. A rule vote for renewal failed on the House floor on Wednesday amid opposition from former President Donald Trump.
Nineteen Republicans banded together with a solid bloc of Democrats to tank the procedural vote. Typically, opposite parties don’t join forces on rules votes.
Jeffries indicated that Democrats won’t throw Johnson a lifeline on FISA.
“No, and no,” he said when asked if he spoke with Johnson on the matter and Democrats plan to assist.
