Politico: Boehner at risk of losing Speakership

[brooklynite]

Boehner’s allies are concerned after Friday’s setback that his critics inside the Republican Conference may try to oust him as speaker if — as expected — he puts a long-term DHS funding bill on the House floor next week. While Boehner shrugs off such speculation, close friends believe such a move is a real possibility.

“There is a lot of speculation about this,” said a GOP lawmaker who is close with Boehner. “People are watching for this very, very closely.”

Twenty-five Republicans voted against Boehner for speaker on the floor in early January, signaling his continued problems with his conservative hardliners. And Boehner’s allies believe that the earlier DHS debacle on Friday, when 52 Republicans voted against the three-week plan, was in part aimed at toppling the speaker.

One issue for Boehner’s GOP opponents — beyond his continued popularity with the vast majority of House Republicans — is who would succeed him. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) would seem like a natural choice, but he is close to Boehner and would never seek to replace him. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has strong ties to many members, yet that may not necessarily translate for support for speaker.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/john-boehner-republicans-homeland-security-funding-115588.html?hp=t1_r

[Fred Sanders]

1. How exactly would anyone "oust" or "topple" an elected Speaker, legislatively? May I assume Politico has no answer?

[Raine1967]

4. I'd love to know the procedure for this.

I am wondering myself.

[Fred Sanders]

6. There never has been, never, a Speaker removed from the elected Office. Politico has a way?

[AlinPA]

5. They could threaten him and force him to quit.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Force? How? He would have to resign.

[AlinPA]

10. There are lots of threats that that they could use. He has been around for a long time so there is

certainly a lot of dirt they can find. The Kochs could easily scare him into resigning. Even threats to his health.

[brooklynite]

9. It's simple...and hard

It requires a simple majority to declare a vacancy in the Speakership. However, GETTING a majority among Republicans would be almost impossible (the Tea Party contingent is about 50 out of the 245 Republicans). So the plotters would have to believe that Democrats would go along with vote, presumably to try to would the Republicans.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. Spread a rumor in the House...

that the president wants Boehner to remain speaker

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. I'm amazed that drunken meathead still has that job.

really.

[Xipe Totec]

3. The Republican Leadership is at Threat Level Orange. nt

[AlinPA]

8. louie! Louie! Louie!

[yortsed snacilbuper]

12. Benjamin Netanyahu