Rep. Van Orden to Newsmax: Potential Democrat Speaker if Johnson Ousted

(AP)

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., cautioned against ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggesting it could pave the way for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries to assume the role while highlighting concerns about congressional gridlock amid global crises.

In an interview with Newsmax on Wednesday, Van Orden expressed his apprehension about the current dynamics within the House’s Republican Conference.

He stated on “American Agenda” that “there are several members of the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives now that are actively working, whether or not they know it or not, to make [Democrat] Hakeem Jeffries the next speaker of the House.”

Van Orden’s remarks underscored his belief that destabilizing the current leadership could have far-reaching consequences. He criticized the recent attempts to challenge Speaker Johnson’s position, warning of potential disruptions to legislative processes.

“I did not think it was a good idea to vacate Kevin McCarthy’s speakership, and now you guys are seeing why the people are like, ‘Oh, my gosh, get rid of McCarthy. Let’s get someone else in there, and that’s what happened,’ ” Van Orden remarked, referencing the period of congressional stagnation following McCarthy’s removal.

The congressman raised urgent global issues, including the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, escalating tensions in Israel, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized the need for effective leadership to address these challenges.

“The border is still wide open. Israel is under attack, first time in the history of the world, a direct attack from Iran to Israel. The travesties that are taking place in Ukraine, right now, hundreds of thousands of people are dead, Russians and Ukrainians. We don’t know what Xi Jinping [CCP General Secretary] is doing as far as Taiwan, but we certainly know it’s not good,” he added.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., reportedly supported a resolution to remove Johnson from his role as Speaker on Tuesday. Massie’s stance, conveyed during a closed-door meeting of House Republicans, adds to the party’s internal strife, NBC News reported.

Rep. Massie’s backing of a resolution co-sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., reflects growing dissent within Johnson’s own party ranks.

“So, the issues that are taking place globally need to be addressed … and vacating a speakership, right now, in this time in history, is a very, very bad idea,” Van Orden asserted.

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