Scrambling Mike Johnson Has a New Ploy to Stay in Power

Embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to make it a lot harder for his colleagues to get rid of him.

House Republicans unveiled a new set of rules Wednesday that will govern the incoming 119th Congress, including a rule that would make it more difficult to oust whoever is in charge.

The key change would raise the threshold for a motion to vacate, by which any lawmaker can force a vote on ousting the speaker. Currently, only one person needs to file a motion to vacate. But under the new rule, a lawmaker from the majority party must be joined by eight other co-signers from that party.

So if the rule passes, Johnson can only be ousted by nine Republicans.

This is a significant change in proceedings, as historically motions to vacate can come from any individual lawmaker from any party.

“Their proposed changes would, for the first time in American history, shield the speaker from accountability to the entire chamber,” Democratic Representative Jim McGovern, the ranking member on the House Rules Committee, told Axios.

“The American people did not vote for whatever the hell this is—and you better believe that Democrats will not let Republicans turn the House of Representatives into a rubber stamp for their extremist policies,” McGovern added.

This change comes as the result of a deal struck in November, but takes on a new, bitter flavor, as Johnson has come under fire from members of his own party. It seems that Johnson could be in major trouble Friday, when he is set to be reelected or ousted from his position. It might only take two GOP defections to sink his bid, according to The Hill.

Congress will also vote on its new rules package Friday, which would also dissolve the Diversity and Inclusion Office and change the name of the House Oversight Committee, among other shallow Republican priorities. If Johnson is reelected and the new rules approved, then he may have found a way to keep his gavel indefinitely.