Marjorie Taylor Greene keeps them guessing on Mike Johnson motion to vacate

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is happy to keep them guessing.

The Georgia hardliner introduced a motion to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) in March, a warning to Republican leaders ahead of the explosive debate over government spying and aid to Ukraine. It was submitted in this framework.

But more than a month later, even after Johnson helped pass both bills over the roar of conservatives in the Republican conference, Greene refused to force a vote on the resolutions.

And on Monday evening, after a week-long recess that saw her escalate threats against the Speaker, Greene missed the only House vote of the day, only raising further questions about whether she intended to pull the trigger on the bill. was. Leave it empty.

Rep. Thomas Massey (R-Ky.), one of two others who supported Greene’s motion to stand down, said he had spoken with Greene about the resolution to adjourn. But he is also keeping his cards close to his vest, refusing to provide details on when the motion will be brought to the floor or if it will be brought to the floor.

Asked if he had spoken to Greene or Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), the third Republican to support the deportation effort, he told The Hill, “Of course I talked to my friends.” Told.

When asked if they had discussed the eviction motion, Massey said, “Well, we don’t talk about the weather.” But Massey also raised hopes for a resolution to the conflict. He wants Mr Johnson to simply resign, but the Speaker has flatly rejected that request.

“He should [resign]” Massey said. “Ultimately he will decide whether he becomes the sole party chairman or not.”

But despite loud rhetoric and persistent vows, Georgia Republicans never moved to force a vote on the resolution, due to delays and embarrassment from Greene and her duo, and time is running out until the November election. Some people predict that it will. .

“I don’t think that’s going to come up,” Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), a frequent critic of Republican leadership, said Monday.

But Greene’s team vehemently rejects the idea that the lawmaker is walking back her threats. Nick Dyer, a spokesman for Mr. Green, said: he told Politico on Sunday night. “The people she’s calling off are either high, drunk, or just crazy.”

And Green himself continued to raise expectations Sunday afternoon. Writing on social platform X Mr Johnson’s “days as chairman are numbered”, he said, without giving a more specific timeline.

But as time passes, Mr. Green’s potential support is drying up.

Mr Crane told reporters earlier this month that he was “open” to supporting a motion to step down, but on Monday he said he had “left the door open” but said the timing was right for a conservative coup. He said it was not.

“One, I don’t think the timing is good. Two, if it’s triggered, I don’t think it will pass,” Crane said. “I have said publicly many times that I think Democrats will keep Chairman Johnson in office, I think they will save him, so I don’t think it will pass,” he said. And further, even if it passes, I’m not very confident that we’ll be able to get a more conservative speaker for the American people this session. ”

Another critic of Mr. Johnson, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), issued a similar message, but also left open the possibility that he would support Ms. Greene’s resolution.

Roy stressed that he does not support ousting Johnson’s predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and that the Republican Party’s main focus should be on the November election. However, he also expressed dissatisfaction with Mr Johnson’s leadership decisions and issued a warning. That’s what Republican voters share.

“People are dissatisfied… They want us to be united, they want us to be united, but we have to be united for a purpose. And that purpose is It’s not about continuing to do the same old thing,” Roy told reporters outside the Capitol on Monday night.

“Right now we have six months left until the election, so we need to focus on that. But let’s see. There’s still a lot of work left to do. [fiscal 2025] Levels, other issues, the farm bill, other issues. Let’s see what our priorities are. ”

Mr Johnson dismissed the looming threat of sacking. Last week, he told Fox News’ Jesse Watters that when asked about Greene, she “doesn’t think about her at all.”

And on Monday, when asked if he had spoken to Georgia Republicans during the removal effort, Johnson simply replied, “No.”