House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Office Reeling After Key Staffers Depart Suddenly

As the GOP struggles to maintain its slim majority ahead of the pivotal November elections, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office is reeling from the sudden departure of its top staff members.

Raj Shah, Johnson’s well-connected communications director and a former White House deputy press secretary under Donald Trump, is the latest high-profile departure. Shah’s impending exit comes just a day after the resignations of three top policy staff members who had worked for the previous speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-California).

McCarthy was ousted in an internal party coup last October, but Johnson retained Brittan Specht, Jason Yaworske and Preston Hill, all respected policy experts. It was reported that they all committed to working for Johnson for six months, providing valuable experience and continuity during the transition of power within the Republican caucus. All three will depart at the end of May. 

Yaworske, a key advisor on appropriations and budget issues, and Hill, who oversaw artificial intelligence and education policy, left to join the lobbying firm Michael Best Strategies.

The mass departures from Johnson’s nine-member team follow the resignation of the office’s head of digital, Anang Mittal, who quit after performance-related issues and “unprofessional outbursts” from superiors.

The loss of Shah, in particular, is seen as a significant blow to Johnson’s efforts to maintain a strong connection with Trump loyalists within the Republican Party. With his White House experience, Shah was viewed as a crucial link to the former president’s supporters, who have been critical of Johnson’s leadership.

Johnson moved quickly to fill some vacancies and appointed Meredith Schellin as the new digital director. Specht, who served as McCarthy’s chief policy director, has been replaced by Dan Ziegler in Johnson’s administration.

Johnson’s speakership has faced challenges from the hard-right bloc of the party, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). Greene recently attempted to oust Johnson and accused him of “passing the Democrats’ agenda” after he shepherded a multibillion-dollar aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a House vote. In an interview, Greene further accused Johnson of being “owned by the Democrats.”

Last week, Johnson traveled to the New York courthouse where Trump is on trial to support “his friend.”

As the 2024 elections loom, the Republican Party’s narrow grip on the House of Representatives has become a concern for party leaders. The departure of experienced and well-connected staffers from Johnson’s office adds to his challenges in the crucial months ahead.