Fury as 'pathetic' Mike Johnson shuts down House amid looming impeachment threat

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was widely condemned Wednesday after canceling all House votes for Thursday — which would have been the chamber’s “last day until after Election Day” — sparking accusations that the move was designed to dodge impeachment proceedings.

“The Speaker has canceled votes and is sending us home,” wrote Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) in a social media post on X. “And there is really only one reason — impeachment of [Defense Secretary] Pete Hegseth.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) revealed Tuesday that he intended to file articles of impeachment against Hegseth related to the deeply unpopular U.S. war against Iran, which he argued to be unlawful. With Thursday being the House’s last legislative day until after the midterms, Massie vowed to invoke House rules that would require the matter to be brought up for consideration within two legislative days.

In a shock move, however, Johnson revealed that he had canceled Thursday’s votes and would likely send all House members home until the midterms. Outraged reactions, including accusations that the decision was made solely to avoid addressing Massie’s articles of impeachment against Hegseth, were swift.

“This is so pathetic by the Republicans, deserves being made famous,” wrote longtime political commentator Bill Kristol. “Maybe Dems should go to the floor, try to loudly object to adjournment, say they're staying there and are willing to work, maybe make the Sergeant at Arms escort them out. Cause a ruckus.”

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) also issued a brutal condemnation of Johnson.

“For the TWENTY-EIGHTH day this year, Mike Johnson has canceled votes, this time to avoid voting on Hegseth's impeachment,” Houlahan wrote in a social media post on X. “Do your job, Speaker Johnson, so we can do ours.”