When Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, was in Munich in mid-February for the annual international security conference, Representative Michael R. Turner, the Ohio Republican and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, quietly sought him out with a request.
Mr. Turner, according to those familiar with the private conversation, told Mr. Jeffries that he was committed to funding Ukraine’s war effort and believed that Speaker Mike Johnson would ultimately put an aid package on the floor, in defiance of right-wing Republicans opposed to doing so.
Mr. Jeffries said he would take the idea under advisement.
About 10 days later, after a Feb. 27 Oval Office session with President Biden and congressional leaders, Mr. Jeffries made his move.
At a luncheon the next day at the Washington bureau of The New York Times, Mr. Jeffries responded to a question that he believed “a reasonable number” of Democrats would bail out Mr. Johnson if he put the aid package to a vote and faced ouster because of it.
Persons:
Hakeem Jeffries, Michael R, Turner, Mr, Jeffries, Mike Johnson, Johnson, ultraconservatives, Kevin McCarthy, Biden
Organizations:
Democratic, Ohio Republican, Intelligence Committee, Republicans, The New York Times
Locations:
Munich, Washington