So far, it’s all talk and no action from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and her threat to vote to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Only continues.
As Greene left the Capitol on Tuesday, reporters peppered her with questions about why she didn’t take action to remove Johnson from office and what prompted her to act against the speaker. They asked questions such as whether they had detected this.
Have you decided when to proceed yet? One of the clerks shouted loudly.
“When you do something with determination, don’t you feel empty threats now?” I really asked.
Another reporter asked, “How soon do you plan to make a decision?”
The hitchhiker’s guide to what would happen if Greene tried to oust Chairman Johnson
Mr. Green did not respond publicly. However, she expressed her opinion in her statement. She came shortly after the House Democratic leadership announced it would formally defend Johnson if Greene attempts to vacate her speakership.
In an unusual move, the House Democratic leadership, consisting of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D.Y.), Minority Leader Katherine Clark (Mass.), and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (California), “The time has come,” the team declared. Turn the page in this chapter on pro-Putin Republican obstruction. We vote to move Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign as Speaker. If she makes this motion, it will not succeed. ”
Greene quickly fired back at Johnson and the Democrats.
“What kind of slimy backroom deals did Johnson make for Democratic support?” Greene asked.
The Georgia Republican went on to say, “Mike Johnson is now officially the Democratic Speaker of the House.” She vowed to call for a vote “to put Congress on the record so all Americans can see the truth.”
Johnson was not even informed that the Democratic cavalry was coming.
When asked about the Democratic Party’s support at a press conference, Prime Minister Johnson quipped, “This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
So, is there actually a Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
“It makes no difference to me whether the Speaker of the House right now is Hakeem Jeffries or Mike Johnson,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-S.C. “It just means they’re trying to pass the Democratic agenda.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson faces growing threats to his leadership role over foreign aid push (Getty Images)
I asked Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) whether Mr. Johnson was being weakened by his dependence on Democratic votes.
“He’s already dependent on Democratic votes,” Roy replied.
it’s true. Mr. Johnson relied on Democrats to avoid multiple government shutdowns and pass a foreign aid package. Most Democrats were particularly pleased that Mr. Johnson gave the go-ahead for significant funding to Ukraine.
So is this great for Johnson and does he have stability in the House of Commons?
Maybe now. But there could be a big downside for Johnson here.
The Democrats’ maneuver could embolden their small Republican brethren, who are seeking to oust Mr. Johnson. And even some rank-and-file Republicans may think that Mr. Johnson is only in this job because of the Democratic Party. This may not immediately weaken Mr Johnson.But it could give the following people maybe House Minority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Minority Leader Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are among the potential candidates for his job. But this is an opportunity to use Democratic support as a wedge, perhaps by challenging Johnson for speaker next year or for a leadership position in the new Congress if Republicans lose their majority. Become.
Let history be our guide.
The late House Speaker Joe Cannon (R-Ill.) relied on Democrats to survive votes of no confidence in the early 20th century. Mr. Cannon remained chairman. But mostly there was help from across the aisle.
Experts warn that Romney, Sinema and Manchin’s resignations could worsen Senate gridlock
The situation may be the same here.
And perhaps in Johnson’s favor, he ended up naming a House office building after Cannon.
So there it is.
Before Democratic leaders announced their support for Johnson, it was thought a small number of Democrats might simply vote to protect him. Another option was to “take a walk.” If Democrats don’t vote, it would help Johnson and change the House calculations needed to remove the Speaker.
It should be noted that another member other than Greene could invoke a resolution to “vacate the chair” and confuse the House with the possibility of removing the speaker.
Or, in a particularly bold move, Johnson himself or his allies could invoke the resolution, confident that their forces will defeat Greene. Such a scenario could embarrass Greene and euthanize any effort to remove the speaker for the remainder of the legislative session.
Here’s what happens when Greene’s solution is triggered.
The first vote will likely be on a motion to introduce or reject the resolution. If the House votes yes, the job is done. The House will likely defeat Greene’s efforts. The Democratic Party claims to support this.
(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Democrats parsed the parliamentary process for what to do for Mr. Johnson.
“None of the discussions we had in the caucus were about saving Mike Johnson,” Aguilar said. “The basic motion to resign was not debated. The motion to table was debated.”
Aguilar alluded to Johnson’s efforts to help former President Trump win the election despite the Electoral College results. Other Democrats have concerns about Johnson because of his evangelical beliefs and staunch opposition to abortion. So this is not a total endorsement of Mr. Johnson.This was rather to separate the green
“We want to show that the Emperor and Empress are not wearing clothes,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi (DN.Y.). “We have people who have no sense of responsibility to the state. They have been empowered for too long, and this is a way to disempower them.”
I questioned Democratic leaders about their decision to cut Johnson’s lifeline.
“Does it look like the Democratic Party has a piece of Mike Johnson now, or does it look like if you protect him, he’s somehow beholden to the Democratic Party?” by Katherine Clark I asked.
House Republicans urge Biden to pressure ICC not to charge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes
“We will continue to reach out to Mike Johnson on a bipartisan basis and hope they continue to learn lessons about returning the voices of the American people to the floor of the House,” Clark responded. . “We say no to the extremism and chaos that Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to spread.”
But let’s assume that the House of Commons was unable to protect Mr. Johnson. If the motion fails, the House of Commons will immediately vote yes or no to remove Johnson from office. This is an actual “motion to vacate a chair.”
If the House votes to remove Johnson from office, chaos ensues.
The House would cease to function, similar to when lawmakers fired former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last fall.My home is paralyzed and I can’t accept it. any legislative action Until a new speaker is selected. An acting chairman pro tempore will take over, as will House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R). However, it has little power other than opening and closing the House of Representatives.
(Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to the rules, the House’s next task is to elect a nominee for the new speaker. The House then votes on the speaker. Last fall, it took several days for the House to be ready to consider a new speaker. The chair position remained vacant for 22 days.
Green is following a very well-trodden path.
In the summer of 2015, Trump’s former chief of staff and former Congressman Mark Meadows (R-Ohio) also introduced a resolution to fire then-House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). . But like Greene, Meadows did not pull the trigger and instead forced a vote on the floor.
But after having an audience with Pope Francis at the Capitol and addressing a joint session of Congress, Beyner gave up on everything. He didn’t want to leave right away. He said he would start by “wiping out” thorny issues like funding the government and tackling the debt ceiling. That would give the new chairman time to embark on political activities.
Barring a major national or international crisis, Mike Johnson was essentially “cleaning out the barn” through the fall. Congress’ to-do list is pretty meager between now and September 30th. That’s the next big deadline: funding the government. Also. That’s why Greene and some of her supporters hope Johnson gets the message.
It’s unclear whether that message will be heard loud enough at this point. There are many unhappy Republicans. But few have the stamina to withstand even more tumultuous times, such as last fall, when the House voted to remove Mr. McCarthy.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
If Greene is unable to muster support to fire Johnson, a vote on the next speaker of the House is likely to take place on January 3, 2025, at approximately 1:00 pm ET. The 119th Congress (the new Congress) will convene at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) in accordance with the Constitution. After calling a quorum to determine who will be present, the first order of business is to elect the Speaker of the House. The Republican Party will nominate one candidate. Democrats will nominate someone else. However, any member who is technically elected to the House of Representatives at that time can vote for anyone.
And Democrats won’t defend Johnson during that election. Either they win a majority and elect Jeffries as the next Speaker of the House. Or, if Democrats were in the minority, Democrats would vote for Jeffries and watch Donnybrook on the other side of the aisle.
