Though not a traditional means of removal, Speaker of the House Richard Johnson is hinting at the idea of changing the one vote threshold to begin the process of removal of a house speaker. This means that instead of one person having to cast a single vote to initiate the removal, two or more votes must be made in order to start the process.
While this doesn’t sound like it would have much of an effect, it could have a profound and lasting influence on the House of Representatives. By raising the threshold of just one vote to two or more, a speaker could stay in power for longer than anticipated if their support is strong enough.
This has caused controversy among some GOP representatives, who feel as if Johnson is attempting to undermine their power. One representative, who wishes to remain anonymous, spoke out against Johnson’s proposal, saying “There is absolutely no reason to change the voting threshold from one to two, other than to create a situation in which the Speaker can remain in power for an extended period of time, thus diminishing the power of other representatives.”
The proposal cannot be implemented without the support of the three-fifths majority it requires. It’s unclear if Johnson will find the support for the much needed majority among the GOP representatives, or if the proposal will fail to gain traction.
What is certain, however, is that this has the potential to change the balance of power in the House of Representatives. The idea has been met with varying degrees of opposition, so it remains to be seen if Johnson’s proposal is something that will finally pass or drop into obscurity.