Speaker Johnson Ousts GOP Member From Prominent Committee
Speaker Mike Johnson has decided to remove Rep. Mike Turner from his position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
This decision follows months of contention sparked by a warning the representative issued last February, allegedly related to Russian space technology, according to Fox News.
"Today, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has made available to all Members of Congress information concerning a serious national security threat," Turner stated at the time, raising alarm.
"I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat," he added.
Some Republicans believe Turner’s strong ties to the intelligence establishment have created friction with the more Trump-aligned wing of the GOP, particularly on key issues.
Turner addressed his removal from the committee leadership with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"I’m very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the Committee, and I’m honored to have served with them," said the Ohio representative.
"Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate for the military and our national defense," he said.
"My work to expand missions and capabilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base continues. Furthermore, I look forward to welcoming the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton in the coming months," Turner noted.
The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, expressed serious concern about Turner’s removal.
"The removal of Chairman Turner makes our nation less secure and is a terrible portent for what’s to come. The Constitution demands that Congress function as a check and balance to the executive branch, not cater to its demands," Himes remarked.
Speaker Johnson, however, sought to reassure the public. "I’ve read Chairman Turner’s statement on the issue, and I want to assure the American people there’s no need for public alarm," he said.
"I’m not at liberty to disclose classified information and really can’t say much of that, but we just want to assure everyone, steady hands are at the wheel, we’re working on it. There’s no need for alarm," Johnson added.
Earlier, Johnson had spoken about his expectations to pass most of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda with a comprehensive bill by Memorial Day.
During an interview on Fox News, Johnson explained that Republicans aim to consolidate numerous policy initiatives into one large reconciliation bill to bypass the Senate’s typical 60-vote threshold.
"We’re 15 days out from the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump for his second term. And we want to make sure that we’re jump-starting the agenda now over the next two weeks, so that he’s prepared and ready on day one. We have a lot to do, as you know. And we have been putting all the plays together and figuring out the sequence of how we’re going to run those plays. And we’re really excited about it," Johnson said.
"At the end of the day, President Trump is going to prefer, as he likes to say, one big, beautiful bill. And there’s a lot of merit to that, because we can put it all together, one big up-or-down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it. And it’ll give us a little bit more time to negotiate that and get it right," he concluded.