House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) met with three Republican lawmakers on Tuesday to abandon his coalition with Democrats and call on the Republican Party that made him speaker of the House to “go home.” .
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ky.) met for about an hour in Johnson’s Capitol office. , continued Monday’s discussion between Green and Massey. Conservative groups continue to move closer to forcing a vote to override a vote that could strip Mr Johnson of the gavel.
Details of Monday’s meeting, in which Greene and Massey proposed a series of accountability measures to ensure the speaker does not advance an agenda that Republicans oppose, were leaked to two establishment media outlets early Tuesday morning. Ta. Before the leak, Green and Massey had not spoken since leaving Johnson’s office.
This is my statement before going into the meeting with Chairman Johnson at 12:30 p.m. pic.twitter.com/JY7WCZ4CJB
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 7, 2024
“These demands are very reasonable, especially given the Republican majority,” Greene said before entering Johnson’s office, discussing the status of the negotiations now that the details have been leaked. He said he felt it was a fair thing to do.
These demands for Johnson include adhering to the Hastert Rule (which requires a majority to support any bill), halting funding to Ukraine, and funding a special counsel to prosecute Donald Trump. These included a suspension and the implementation of the “Massey Rule” to pass a continuing resolution later this summer. Automatically implement a 1% spending cut.
Mr Johnson refused to confirm that Mr Green and Mr Massey were negotiating, despite threats to force a vote on his resignation motion. He suggested Tuesday that the meeting was just a routine meeting with lawmakers.
“This is not a negotiation,” Prime Minister Johnson said. “This is how I have operated as chair. I was committed to doing this even before I became chair, and I have been doing this for the past six months.”
Regardless of the characteristics, after the discussion, both sides seem to understand the other’s position.
Massey and Greene addressed a large group of reporters Tuesday afternoon after that day’s meeting. The pair have been patient, but Mr Johnson has made it clear it is time to take action.
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) speaks with U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ky.) during a press conference calling for the removal of Dr. Anthony Fauci at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 15. 2021. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP) (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
“Those are suggestions, not demands. He’s open to all four suggestions,” Massey said. “But, as Marjorie says, the question is, what is he going to do to show that he’s moving in that direction, or is he willing to take on those proposals?” What are you going to say to everyone?”
“Right now, the ball is in Mike Johnson’s court,” Green said. “He understands that he has to be the Republican speaker of the House. What was discussed and leaked to the press is very simple and serves the American people. They put us in the majority. We are interested in seeing his actions, not his words.”
“I didn’t give a specific schedule, but it’s pretty short,” Massey said, stressing that he would not tolerate any hesitation from Johnson.
“At one point, I told him this, but his plan was to prolong this to take the pressure off and even if it didn’t move in our direction, it would drag on for weeks or days. ” he said. He said. “And he would be much better off getting this vote and gaining support. Prolonging this doesn’t help him or us.”
This is Mike Johnson’s decision. Will he be the Democratic Party chairman or the Republican Party chairman?
He has already communicated his agenda to Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer.
If he can do that, I think he is very capable of responding to the proposals that I have asked him to make on behalf of the Republican Party… pic.twitter.com/ry2Id1qkJJ
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 7, 2024
They maintained that they were fighting for a Republican majority no matter how future votes on the motion to vacate failed.
“We represent the majority of people who are left behind on three important votes,” Massey said. [when Johnson] They colluded with Democrats to get FISA without a warrant, get the minibuses through, and get money for what is now Ukraine. ”
Greene and Massey say their demands to defend Jack Smith’s prosecution against Trump in particular would never be accepted in the Senate, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). I pushed back on the proposal.
“This body has been everything Schumer has ever wanted and it’s time for Schumer to be everything we want him to be,” Massey said.
They argued that Johnson must end the flow of taxpayer funds to the Ukraine war, with Massey saying Congress “shouldn’t spend another penny this year. If Johnson If it survives using Democratic votes on motions, it will probably continue to do so as long as Mr. Johnson remains chairman.” Assuming he can’t accept some of these offers, walk away. ”
Both appeared to offer a simple but narrow path for Mr Johnson to continue as chair, although he was unlikely to choose it.
“He’s going to be either the Democratic chairman or the Republican chairman, and that’s the opportunity we gave him,” Massey said. “If he wants to be chairman of the Republican Party, he can be chairman, but we’re going to give him a way to do that, a way to work for America, a way to work for the majority without throwing us under the bus.” And it’s his choice now.”
Green agreed with that opinion. “What I’m trying to do is give Mike Johnson a chance to become Republican chairman, and it looks like he’s going to try for it,” she said.
Whatever Mr Johnson decides, both men are determined to use all their influence to end the coalition government he created.
“It’s time for him to go home,” Massey said. “And even though we only have three voices, including Mr. Paul Gosar, and we only have two voices, when we go to his office, we are the majority of the majority. I represent them.”
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
