House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) insisted on Wednesday that he had “not lost control” of the House after members of his party broke ranks to force a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies.
“Look, we’re working through very complex issues as we do here all the time, and it’s good. Everybody’s working towards ideas, keeping the productive conversation going. That’s what happens,” Johnson told reporters walking through the Capitol.
CNN’s Manu Raju then burst the upbeat rhetoric, asking, “Have you lost control of the House?”
“I have not lost control!” shot back Johnson.
“Because this is the third time—” pressed Raju, noting the previous discharge petitions that put legislation on the floor for a vote. Last month, Republicans broke ranks to force a vote on the release of the Epstein Files, which Johnson and GOP leadership initially opposed and delayed.
Johnson answered Raju, “There are— Look, we have the smallest majority in U.S. history. These are not normal times. There are processes and procedures in the House that are less frequently used when there are larger majorities. And when you have the luxury of having 10 or 15 people who disagree on something, you know, you don’t have to deal with it. But when you have a razor-thin margin, as we do, then all the procedures are going to go on the table, and that’s the difference.”
Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Robert Bresnahan (R-PA), and Ryan MacKenzie (R-PA) joined Democrats on Wednesday to force a vote on the Democrats’ bill to extend the Obamacare subsidies. On Tuesday, Lawler accused his own party of “political malpractice” for not having an “up or down” vote. “I am pissed for the American people. This is bullsh*t,” Lawler told Politico.
Watch the clip above.
