Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) revealed on Tuesday that he will join Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in co-sponsoring a resolution to remove Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his position as Speaker of the House.
Massie made the announcement during a closed-door conference meeting, marking the first public support for Greene's motion to vacate resolution.
In his remarks to reporters following Tuesday's meeting, Massie cited Speaker Johnson's handling of various issues, including the Ukraine aid vote, government funding, and the reauthorization of warrantless surveillance authority as reasons for his support of the ouster effort.
During the closed-door conference meeting, the Kentucky Republican stated that he urged Speaker Johnson to resign from his position as Speaker of the House, a request that the Louisiana Republican declined.
Johnson responded to the escalating removal effort on Tuesday, labeling it as “absurd,” and explaining the House is “simply here trying to do our jobs.”
Both Greene and Massie have refrained from specifying when they might initiate a vote on the motion to vacate resolution.
Currently, Republicans can only afford to lose two GOP lawmakers on any party-line votes, a margin that will shrink to one after Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) resigns at the end of the week.
Some Democrats have indicated in recent weeks that they would support Johnson if he brings Ukraine aid to the floor.
