GOP worries its problems will outlive Greene’s ineffective motion

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) ineffectual effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was a big climax, but the House rejects her motion. It could have had a much longer impact than the 35 minutes it took. Leave it empty.

The key ramifications are how Mr. Johnson, with Democratic support, will be able to lead opposing factions in the upcoming parliamentary fight, and how that will affect elections this fall and power relations in the House of Commons. A wide range of things.

Frustrated Republicans after voting Wednesday said the extent of the impact will not be known for some time. But it quickly became clear, some added, that the intraparty brawl would do nothing to improve the Republican Party’s image in the eyes of voters.

“Make no mistake, this is harmful to the Republican Party,” said Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.).

And even if Greene’s maneuvering is in the rearview mirror, the Republican-on-Republican conflict may not be over.

Greene has not ruled out bringing more motions to leave the chamber in the future.

And moderate Republicans, enraged by the mob tactics of their conservative colleagues across Congress, quickly joined Greene and 10 others in voting against the removal motion. fired shots at Republican congressmen and vowed what repercussions they would have for the group after they introduced a resolution to disband. The House and Republican conference are at risk of further dysfunction.

“Those who are causing the chaos will be held accountable,” Rep. Mark Molinaro (RN.Y.) said shortly after the vote.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who has been an outspoken critic of the right for months, joined Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a co-sponsor of the motion to vacate, in opposing the resolution. Chip Roy (R-Texas) should be “immediately removed” from the powerful House Rules Committee, which plays a key role in deciding what bills come to the floor. . He also hoisted the other members of the group of 11 off their respective panels with their boots.

“Actions need consequences,” Lawler said. “People need to take responsibility.”

The intraparty fight comes at an inopportune time for Republican leaders who had hoped to resolve internal divisions and focus their attention on President Biden’s response to the border and economy. Instead, he has been forced to quash an internal rebellion that even some of Johnson’s sharpest critics opposed just before the election.

“I think it’s a bad idea at this point,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.).

Hoping to thwart another challenge to the speakership, many Republicans are already discussing changes to the House rules so that no member would have the power to push a motion to cancel a vote on the House floor. It has become.

The rule was introduced as part of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) takeover negotiations. It was then used to oust him 10 months later.

“The rules were abused,” Scott said. “This place won’t work if we change the speaker of the House every six months.”

But the changes are likely to cause further infighting within House Republicans, pitting hardliners who want to protect the one-member standard against moderates who are eager to change the confusing rules.

The conference got a taste of the battle last month when Mr. Johnson reportedly considered changing the rules amid threats to expel Mr. Greene, but Republicans have threatened to remove Mr. Johnson from office if pushed. I was faced with an onslaught. The chairman ultimately abandoned the idea.

Greene has ignored threats of retaliation, particularly warnings about losing her committee assignments, and after being removed from committees in her first month in office, the prospect is now considered an over-danger. I regard it as such. Democrats controlled the chamber.

“They probably want to take me off the committee, and they probably want to go to the primary as well. Go ahead, go ahead,” she declared after the vote. “They probably want to do all kinds of things, and you know, that’s their problem.”

Johnson, always soft-spoken, says she is ready to move forward and vows not to hold Greene’s efforts against her.

“I don’t hold a grudge,” he told “Fox & Friends” the morning after the vote.

But Greene is not the only House Republican criticizing Johnson. And many conservatives, even those who opposed the effort to remove Greene, say they do not support the leader’s already stated goal of remaining leader in the next Congress.

These lawmakers share Greene’s dissatisfaction with Johnson’s track record of forging bipartisan deals with Biden on major legislation and are prepared to hold him accountable for deals he supports. . This is a kind of warning ahead of further government funding discussions that are likely to take place. Heads up in September.

Given these numbers, the Democrats’ bailout of Mr. Johnson will not soon be forgotten.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who voted to send Greene’s motion to the floor, said in a statement: “Mike is increasing the national debt and passing America’s last bill. “We have maintained this,” he said. “Although the Democratic Conference has made clear its intention to retain the Chair, I decided that I needed to vote to express my dissatisfaction with his lack of conservative leadership.”

Mr. Roy, another critic of Johnson’s leadership style, made similar accusations, slamming him for backtracking on promises to cut spending and secure the southern border.

“Chairman Johnson remains a friend,” Roy said in a statement. “But, as I said when I voted for Mike in October, I am committed to holding him, and other members of the Republican leadership, accountable for doing what we said we would do. It is working.”

Despite this week’s infighting and anger, one relationship that appears to be intact is that between Greene and former President Trump, two Republican figures on opposite sides of a bitter battle to demand his resignation. Considering what was happening, the results were surprising.

Trump, who frequently participates in heated debates at the Capitol, has repeatedly voiced his support for Johnson amid threats of expulsion, including during a joint appearance at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida. This came as a severe shock to Mr. Green. He considers himself a close ally of the former president.

Greene nevertheless pulled the trigger on Wednesday and pressed ahead with the removal mission, even as President Trump urged him to abandon the effort and emphasized unity in a Sunday phone call.

But despite that collision course, the bond between Greene and Trump is seemingly secure.

in real social posts “I love Marjorie Taylor Greene with all my heart,” President Trump said, urging Republicans to vote for a motion to vacate, which was announced minutes after it passed. “She will be here for a long time to come. , will be by our side and will be by our side.” ”

And Greene, who began her explosive political career on Trump’s shoulders, thanked the former president for his support, even as Trump tried to derail her entire movement.

“I’m really grateful for President Trump’s support,” Greene told reporters after the vote. “He released his statement today, which unfortunately came after the vote, so I think it was a little late. But I appreciate his support.”

“I support him.”

Contributed by Philip Timotija.