Republicans Push For Discharge Petition Against Mike Johnson

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Feb 22, 2024 at 5:46 AM EST


Campaign group Republicans for Ukraine are launching a six-figure advertising blitz urging GOP House members to support a discharge petition to pass a bill containing additional military aid for Ukraine, after Speaker Mike Johnson declined to bring it to a vote.

On February 13 the Senate passed a $95 billion package including an additional $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it must also be approved by the House before President Joe Biden can sign it into law. Currently Johnson is refusing to hold a vote on the package, which he claimed is "silent on the most pressing issue facing our country," in a reference to illegal immigration.

On Wednesday Republicans for Ukraine announced a "six-figure digital ad" campaign aimed at the 10 House Republicans they seem most likely to sign a discharge petition. A discharge petition, which would require the support of 218 House members including at least four Republicans, could allow the aid package to go to a vote without Johnson's backing. Supporters of Ukraine are confident they have the numbers needed to pass the package in the House if they can get it to a vote.

Speaking to Newsweek, Republicans for Ukraine spokesperson Gunner Ramer said: "For generations, the Republican Party prided itself on standing up to dictators and leading the free world. Many Republicans, including many in Congress, still identify with that party and that role for America. Right now the critical issue in the world is whether free countries will help defeat Putin in Ukraine.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-push-discharge-petition-against-mike-johnson-1872277

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The discharge petition pretty much requires 218 signatures so if all (D)s (212 currently) vote for it, they just need 6 (R)s (there are 219 (R)s).

There are also 4 vacancies (1 (D) with special election in April & 3 (R)s with a NY-3 flip to (D) who will be sworn in Feb 28 (making it 213 (D)s), and additional special elections in May & June).

[marble falls]

1. I think the speaker would welcome the opportunity to have Ukraine funding forced on him ...

... I think he favors it but being compelled offers him plausible deniability to the basket of deplorables around him.

[Katcat]

16. If that's the case

He’s no leader and should resign.

[honest.abe]

21. Impossible to lead the fools in the GOP congress.

I think his best move is to do nothing and just let the discharge petition happen. At least something useful gets done.

[marble falls]

24. Not at all. A good leader gets his agenda by leading and following as needed. Don't stretch this into ...

... any sort of positive comment on that sorry leader we have now.

[onetexan]

35. problem here is we have a traitorous antidemocratic speaker under our enemies' thumb

[Ohioboy]

23. Weak leaders try to play it both ways

[bluestarone]

2. Two questions

1) How many RETHUGS joining us is needed? (i'm thinking all we need is 4) 2) Could this be done while their on break IF they have the votes, I mean could they force the house back if the votes are there?)

[Wednesdays]

3. If they can manage to get it to the floor, it will pass

This is a scorecard from last autumn, but if even NINETY PERCENT of these Repugs who were in favor have flipped since then, it will still pass easily (assuming all Dems vote in favor):

https://gopforukraine.com/ukraine-report-card/

[Blue Idaho]

18. And there is the rub

The Maniac wing of the GOP aren’t about to loosen their stranglehold on legislative dysfunction.

[SergeStorms]

34. Not when....

it's a direct order from the orange, traitorous turd down in Mar-ma-lardo.

They're beholding to his Assholiness, and they're all trying to outdo each other for prime positions in his (gawd forbid) administration.

[Evolve Dammit]

38. nailed it

[AllyCat]

43. Omar and Jayapal have said they won't sign on.

AOC has said she won’t sign a discharge petition due to it being DP, not the reason for the DP.

[KS Toronado]

4. I could be wrong, but my gut feeling is about half of Rs will do the right thing.

[Botany]

5. The Ukrainian People Have Given A Master Class In Courage to the world.

And the free dumb caucus along with the majority of the GOP have shown themselves as
being on the wrong side of history and for doing what is right. In Maripoul, Ukraine women and
children sought relief from the Russian onslaught in a theater that was clearly marked as being
a place where non combatants were staying and Putin had it hit with bombs and missiles killing
the women and children inside and yet the GOP has sided with Putin and his bloodshed.

[NNadir]

15. I like your "master class in courage" locution.

Last edited Thu Feb 22, 2024, 02:01 PM - Edit history (1)

Thanks for the wording.

[Botany]

20. "A master class in courage," Ukrainian "Sunflower Lady." Put these seeds in your pocket so flowers will ..

…. grow from your corpse after you die on Ukrainian soil.

Look at a map of the battle lines in Ukraine right now. The Ukrainians have control
over 75 to 80% of the nation’s grounds. Btw it was Mike Flynn helped to sell out the
Crimea to Putin in 2014 as Obama’s National Security Advisor. He damn well could
have seen with our surveillance satellites Russian forces preparing to invade Crimea
and failed to tell the President about the upcoming invasion after which President Obama
fired him and Flynn went to live in Russia until he came back to work for Trump’s 2016
campaign. Even before Trump was sworn in Flynn was caught trying to set up a secret
back channel communications network between Trump and Company to Vlad, the FSB,
and Russian agents.

The Russians are deep into our right wing and media. America needs to see what is really
happening and that is Vlad/Russia has been and still is conducting a war on America right
now.

[lastlib]

25. This needs a THOUSAND RECS!!

I gave it the only one I could give, but it needs many more!


- -

And Flynn needs to be recalled to duty and COURT-MARTIALED for espionage and TREASON!

[AZ8theist]

28. Minor point....

Flynn was not Obamas "National Security Advisor"
He was the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He lasted only 2 years when it became apparent he was compromised by the Russians.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Flynn#:~:text=He%20served%20as%20the%20director,June%202009%20to%20October%202010.

He did, however, become TRUMPS National Security Advisor in 2017. He resigned after the shortest tenure in the history of that position after it was revealed he lied about his Russian contacts.

His subsequent trashing of the United States BEGS the military to bring him back to active duty and court martial him down to buck private. Then DISHONORABLY DISCHARGE him.

Just another treasonous scum bag in the Fascist Wing of the Repuke party.

[Botany]

29. Flynn worked in intelligence and was in a position to warn President Obama prior to Russia's .....

…… 2014 invasion of Crimea* with his position with the D.I.A. and chose not to do so. And he wasn’t
fired from the White House because he was lying to the Vice President but because his back channel
communication operations with Russian agents were discovered. He would have been kept on by Trump
if his devious actions hadn’t been outed.

* our satellites must have seen the Russian preparations for their Crimean operations.

[Evolve Dammit]

39. Not sure we would even come close.

[pwb]

6. They follow trump like ducklings following their mother.

All in row. No matter how ridiculous the things trump says.

[MadameButterfly]

7. When is the break over and will Ukraine survive

that long?

[gab13by13]

10. I believe a discharge petition takes at least 30 days to implement.

[BootinUp]

14. The idea is to force Johnson

To bring it up by showing the votes are there

[MadameButterfly]

36. but I understand they went home for break and Johnson didn't allow anything to come up

or Swozzi to be seated before they left. So nothing happens until they return. I can't find anything that says when they return. After return, best case scenario is 30 days, unless as you said Johnson feels forced to bring it up because the votes are there. I would think he's rather let the discharge petition happen--make Ukraine wait 30 more days and blame someone else for passage of the bill so Trump attacks the Republicans who voted for the petition instead of Johnson.

[BootinUp]

37. Someone posted another thread

Take a look. https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218710688

[MadameButterfly]

44. THanks

That explains it

[orangecrush]

8. Kick

[PTL_Mancuso]

9. Maybe just take all those $millions of prospective ad monies

. . . and just bribe a critical mass of the slime mold community to change. I'm sure their brethren and sistren will understand!

[dlk]

11. Ukrainians are being maimed and killed every day

They don’t have the luxury of playing politics for personal gain.

[gab13by13]

12. I looked it up

a discharge petition is supposed to take at least 37 days.

[BumRushDaShow]

27. That's based on when a bill has been sent to Committee to consider

The Senate passed the bill last week (Feb. 13). It was a bill the House had already passed last year and the Senate amended the supplemental appropriations onto it (plus other stuff) - H.R.815 - National Security Act, 2024

Regular order would have it in a Committee for review and I expect that is where the first "30 days" come from, afterwhich it can be forced out of Committee.

Based on the date it was passed and sent to the House, the "30 days" would be sometime in mid-March but during that time, signatures (and promises of them) can be obtained, where that whole "public shaming" process could potentially force Johnson's hand without need for the petition, and it can go right to the floor (although I expect absent special motions, there would need to be some kind of Rules Committee review to determine debate & amendment parameters).

[FakeNoose]

13. This is how Mike Johnson proves he's no better (and probably even worse) than Kevin McCarthy

What stupid waste of time and money, just to make him do the right thing!
Do your job Mike Johnson, or else resign.

[slightlv]

31. Johnson can't operate outside

the direction and instructions he receives from *rump and from the Dominionists (now known as Christian Nationalists). Not an independent brain cell left anywhere.

[NowsTheTime]

32. I think he lives in a completely different world...

[question everything]

17. Will be interesting to see how Spartz (R, In) will vote. She immigrated from Ukraine

[Bev54]

19. I am sorry they only need 4-5 republicans and I suspect there are a lot more

and all democrats to bring the bill up. Why would they need a six figure advertising campaign unless this is all a smoke screen to say, yeah we tried to get it passed so vote us back in. Just fucking do it, we all know the dems will support it.

[patphil]

22. I was hoping they would do this.

This may be the only way to make the children in the House sit down and let legislation happen.
Unfortunately it takes a month, but it sounds like the votes will be there.

[lastlib]

26. I just e-mailed my Congress-slug.....

He's a dyed-in-the-wool right winger, so I have little hope that he'll do what's right. But I told him I stand with Yulia Navalnaya, the people of Russia, and the people of Ukraine, and that it was time for him to get off his ass and support them with the aid they needed. Like I said, I have little hope that he will do it, but at least he heard from me.

[elleng]

30. Campaign group Republicans for Ukraine are launching a six-figure advertising blitz.

[progressoid]

41. That's the part that has my head spinning.

They have to spend money on an ad campaign to get their own people to do this. It's mind boggling.

[Novara]

33. It's an outside group trying to push them. They'll get nowhere.

Holier-than-thou Mike won't bring it up for a vote.

[NBachers]

40. Headlines: "Republicans pass historic bill to save Ukraine"

[oldsoftie]

42. Why doesnt one of the retiring Reps do the "motion to vacate" stunt?

It only takes ONE, so go for it. If everyone retiring votes against Johnson we'd end up with Speaker Jefferies.