Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has fired back after Democrats moved in to protect House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) from being ousted from his role.
Boebert that it now “makes no difference” whether Johnson remains in his role or if a Democrat were to take over the position, Breitbart reported.
The Colorado Republican made this remark following Democrats’ promise to block Johnson’s ouster if the GOP moves forward with it.
On CNN’s “The Lead” on Tuesday, host Jake Tapper asked correspondent Manu Raju how lawmakers received Democrats’ “unusual step” to save Johnson’s job.
“They announced that if needed, they would save the speakership of Mike Johnson, the very conservative Louisiana Republican if individuals like Marjorie Taylor Greene and others tried to oust him,” Tapper said to Raju.
“How are lawmakers responding to that?” Tapper asked.
From the steps of the Capitol, Raju received the reactions of several GOP lawmakers, including Boebert’s assessment that Johnson is nearly interchangeable with Democrat House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
WATCH:
Boebert: “We are passing the Democratic agenda each and every day …So it makes no difference to me if it’s Hakeem Jeffries as speaker or Mike Johnson.”
Bowman says “I’m not” comfortable w Dems voting to save Johnson. “Because Hakeem Jeffries should be the speaker.” pic.twitter.com/R43Vwm7zqa
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 30, 2024
Although Raju reported that the reactions were “mixed” among lawmakers, Boebert did not mince words in her opinion.
“We are passing the Democrat agenda each and every day that we’re here,” she said of the House under Johnson’s leadership.
“We have a slim majority in the House, and everything’s being passed overwhelmingly with Democrat support,” Boebert charged.
“So, it makes no difference to me if it’s Hakeem Jeffries as speaker or Mike Johnson right now.”
Others whom Raju asked were more tempered in their assessment of the situation.
“He’s under siege in a lot of different areas,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told CNN.
Predictably, Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) wasn’t thrilled about the Democrats’ pledge to keep Johnson in place.
“Are you comfortable with Democrats voting to keep Mike Johnson in the speakership?” Raju asked Bowman.
“No, I’m not…I think Jeffries should be speaker,” Bowman replied.
Johnson took over after Republicans kicked out then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a vote in October, Fox News reported.
Now, they’re moving to do the same to Johnson, creating a revolving door among the leadership.
On Wednesday, Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) announced they will initiate a vote on removing Johnson next week.
It appears there is less enthusiasm to do this again, but that didn’t stop Greene from pushing for it anyway.
“We need leaders in the House of Representatives that are gonna get this done,” Greene said.
“Not working for Hakeem Jeffries.
“Not working for [President] Joe Biden, and not going to be twisted and lulled into continuing the disgusting practices of Washington, D.C.”
Although Johnson is worried about his job, his statement following the move shows defiance.
“This motion is wrong for the Republican Conference, wrong for the institution, and wrong for the country,” Johnson said.
