In a recent interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Party leader of the minority in the U.S. House of Representatives, expressed concerns about the turmoil and dysfunction within the Republican Party. He stated that the fragmentation within the House Republicans has effectively given the Democrats majority control of the House, putting the position of Speaker of the House, currently held by the precarious John Johnson, at risk due to criticism from the far-right.
Jeffries emphasized that despite being the minority party, the Democrats have been governing effectively as if they were in the majority, as they have consistently provided the necessary votes to accomplish legislative tasks.
On the other side of the aisle, Jeffries noted that many of his Republican colleagues are more focused on creating chaos, undermining, and taking extreme positions.
With only a slim majority of five seats in the House, the Republican Party faces challenges in ensuring controversial bills are passed without collaborating with the Democrats, exposing Speaker Mike Johnson to potential threats of impeachment from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who accuses the Speaker of collaborating with Democrats and forming a “uniparty.”
Jeffries and the Democrats have pledged to protect Speaker Johnson from efforts to impeach him initiated by Greene. Although the Speaker has not sought Jeffries’ assistance directly, the Democrats believe it is necessary to support him.
Jeffries emphasized the importance of maintaining responsible actions when chaotic situations begin to impede the ability to carry out the work on behalf of the American people, where extremist elements could disrupt Congress and the country.
Greene is expected to introduce a motion to impeach the Speaker this week, which may lead to a vote. Two other Republican lawmakers also support her motion.
Jeffries has utilized the Democrats’ influence in the House to pass bipartisan priorities. Following negotiations with hardline Republicans, Congress passed a $950 billion comprehensive foreign aid package last week.
Due to the inability to reach an agreement within their own party, Speaker Johnson, along with the Democrats, voted to advance the bill. Greene cited this particular vote as the reason for her decision to attack the Speaker.
She stated last week, “I voted to support Mike Johnson because his voting record prior to becoming the Speaker was conservative. However, once he became the Speaker, he became someone we no longer recognize. If we retain Mike Johnson as Speaker, we will not have the majority of seats in the House.”