Democratic rep says Johnson can’t be punished for ‘doing the right thing’

Democratic congressman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) shouldn’t be punished for “doing the right thing” after Democratic leadership said they would come to Johnson’s rescue if the push to remove him from his position comes to fruition.

In Saturday comments, Nadler said that Democrats are “right” to save Johnson from the motion-to-vacate which was introduced in March by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). The New York Democrat was also skeptical that the hardline Georgia Republican would move forward with the resolution that she said would be coming to the floor next week. 

“I suspect that she won’t actually carry through on the threat,” Nadler said during his appearance on Rev. Al Sharpton’s “PoliticsNation” on MSNBC. 

“But we are right that if she does, we should save him. Because as much as we disagree with him on everything, almost everything, we can’t permit him to be punished for doing the right thing – voting for the Ukraine aid, which is what they want to punish him for.” 

Democrats in the House have said they would assist in saving Johnson’s speakership since he put Ukraine aid on the lower chamber’s floor, which passed with bipartisan votes. Some Democrats have said this would be a “one-time opportunity.” 

Greene’s effort has gained full approval from two more GOP members, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.). 

Other hard-right members, while voicing similar criticism of Johnson’s bipartisan dealmaking, have said they would not be supporting the resolution to remove the Louisiana lawmaker. Opposition to Greene’s motion-to-vacate has also come up in the Senate where some GOP upper chamber lawmakers have said that Congress should focus on more important priorities and Republicans should stick together going into November.