BUDAPEST—Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) was the third member of the Republican House to declare his support for ousting Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) after he helped pass a $95 billion foreign aid package without border security provisions. During his visit to the Conservative Political Action Conference's (CPAC) convention in Budapest, Hungary, the Arizona Congressman discussed what led to his decision with Cactus Politics, saying the Speaker is "0 for 19" on promises made and kept.
"Everything he has told us he is going to do, he has not done. He has done the opposite," said Rep. Gosar, calling the foreign aid package "the last straw.'
After all, the Arizona Congressman said President Biden is "trying to prop [Ukraine] up until after the election," despite the embattled Eastern European country losing ground and manpower, claiming Ukraine lost two cities recently to the Russians.
Rep. Gosar said this occurred "last night," but this currently cannot be verified, although two small towns fell to Russian forces at the end of February.
When Cactus Politics asked who Gosar would like to see Speaker Johnson replaced with, he did not give a name but "I want to give someone else a try."
However, the Arizona Congressman suggested House Democrats "have 45 people" in consideration including Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), "but the closer we get to the general election, the harder it is going to make them vote for her."
Moreover, Gosar pivoted into why Speaker Johnson seemingly betrayed conservatives in the House with the foreign aid package without border provisions. "We don't know [why]," he said, explaining how Johnson was seeking a plan to create a compromise, which involved a "clean" Israel aid bill, and money could go to Ukraine "as long as we have metrics that we can approve of on our border."
Gosar said Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) suggested as such, and Johnson "was seemingly in agreement," yet passed the aid package without border provisions and approximately $9 billion in aid to Gaza, which Republicans have said will go to Hamas.
"And now we are funding both sides openly, we are funding both sides of the Israeli conflict, because you know that money is going to Hamas, they control that West Bank. So now it is the first time we are showing that we are supporting both sides, just to appease the other side. Wrong answer," Gosar concluded.
