Rep. Jim Banks criticized Speaker Mike Johnson for essentially handing control of the House to Democrats by flipping on border security and backing Ukraine aid.
Banks said Johnson betrayed voters and the 55 Republicans who opposed the rule.
He said conservatives have said the border must be secured before more Ukraine aid, and Johnson did the opposite.
“Mike Johnson has handed the speaker’s gavel over to the Democrats and said here, you guys take control. I mean, that’s there’s no other explanation for it. As you said, it was one thing when the Democrats carried the rule out of the rules committee, but there were more Democrats who voted for the rule on the floor of the House than the Republicans because I think 55 of us on the Republican side, roughly 25 percent of us in the House in the Republican Conference voted against the rule because we know this is betraying the voters who gave us the majority to begin with,” Banks said.
Banks said he can’t tell the difference between Johnson and Pelosi, as Johnson has done everything Democrats wanted.
With a one-seat GOP majority, Banks worried ousting Johnson could put a Democrat in the speaker role, making things worse.
“And then our Republican Speaker does exactly the opposite of that. I mean, I’m beside myself. I can’t believe he did it. I don’t have a good explanation for why he did it. But the fact of the matter is, he’s turned the majority over to the Democrats and at this point I don’t know the difference between Nancy Pelosi and Speaker Mike Johnson. I mean, nothing, nothing that this guy has done is any better than what Nancy Pelosi did. So it’s deeply disappointing,” he said.
He said current House GOP leaders “have got to go” come November.
Banks believes Trump leading the ticket improves GOP chances but said new Senate and House leadership aligned with Trump’s agenda is needed.
“I don’t know the difference between a Democrat speaker and Republican Speaker Mike Johnson at this point. I mean, he’s done everything the Democrats have wanted him to do, so I’m not sure that it can get worse but with a one seat majority if you oust him, does a Democrat assume the Speaker’s chair? Does that lead to something that’s even …. worse than what we’ve seen come out of Johnson?” Banks asked.
“I think that’s a widespread sentiment in the House. As you know, I’m running for the Senate to move over to that chamber. And there’ll be new leadership in the Senate. There has to be Republican leadership in the House and the Senate who are aligned with Donald Trump’s America first agenda. And right now with the current House, the current crop of House leadership, that’s not what we’ve got,” he added.
