To the Editor:

Many citizens did not understand the Motion to Vacate that was brought against the former Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and now looms over Speaker Mike Johnson. Speaker McCarthy repeatedly lied to members of his conference, telling them one thing and then doing something else. One of the final straws was when, behind closed doors, with the president and other leaders of the Democrat opposition, he proposed a debt limit deadline which was twice as far out as the Democrats had asked and with no debt limit. That’s correct! It has no limit and was extended beyond the current election cycle where it could have been scrutinized by the electorate. Now the deficit goes up one trillion dollars every 100 days!

Speaker Johnson, an avowed conservative Republican who promised to lead conservatively, has been no better. It can be argued he has been much worse for the following reasons:

1. He promised no money would go to Ukraine without the southern border being closed. Consequently, the policies that have let 10-15 million people cross the border under Biden’s watch were allowed to continue. Why should we pay to protect the Ukraine border when we won’t control our own? The Europeans have given approximately one third the money the US has given to Ukraine’s defense. If this is an existential threat to Europe let the Europeans lead in funding.

2. He allowed a budget to go through that spent 40-50 billion more than the last Pelosi budget despite more than half of the Republicans opposing it. Even Newtown Democrats would agree the federal budget swollen by COVID money could be reduced, but it has not been.

3. He was the deciding vote against a Republican amendment that would have required the FBI to get a warrant before collecting emails of American citizens who they picked up in surveillance of foreigners. But he and the Democrats voted so that members of Congress are exempt!

4. Speaker Johnson, with the help of Hayes and the Democrats, waived the rules to pass the Ukraine and Israel funding. This resulted in the elimination of the three-day pause to read the bill which Pelosi had eliminated many years ago but Republicans brought back. As a result it was not picked up by legislators that 3.9 billion was given to the State Department to let in essentially more demonstrators from the Middle East!

5. Finally, a 300-page report by Representative Jordan’s office which profiles how the federal government conspired to go after President Trump in the so-called Documents case was delayed by the Speaker’s office and Elise Stefanik’s complaint to the DOJ over election interference was also delayed, while at the same time 100% funding was passed by the Speaker, Hayes and the Democrats for all the offending federal agencies, including the FBI which also got the money for a new headquarters!

No wonder Hakeem Jefferies, Hayes and the rest of the Democrats just voted to support Speaker Johnson in this Motion to Vacate vote. They are getting everything they have wanted and more!

Steven Landin

Newtown