Firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has revealed that she suggested Speaker Mike Johnson step down before attempting to overthrow him in a failed insurrection.
Greene (R-Ga.) met with Johnson (R-Louisiana) at least twice last week in an effort to oust her, but Democrats would need to support her for the move to succeed. .
“I said, ‘Look, if you pay me back the funds.’ [special counsel] Jack Smith, I’d like to reconsider this motion,” Green said. spoke on fox news“Sunday Morning Futures.
“This is what the American people are tired of. They’re tired of the Republican Party not defending President Trump.”
Last week, Mr Johnson expressed openness to reforming the special prosecutor rules, telling reporters: “I think the issue has reached a crescendo, so we’re looking at it very hard.” .
he later told Politico It is clear that he is not prepared to eliminate Mr. Smith’s job through the appropriations process.
“It’s not just about waving a wand and removing the special prosecutor as a clause,” Johnson told the outlet.
“Such a function is necessary because the Justice Department, as an executive branch agency, may not always be able to investigate or prosecute the president or the president’s family without a conflict of interest.”
Mr. Johnson does not have the power to unilaterally cut off funding to Mr. Smith’s office. Given the razor-thin Republican majority in the House and Democratic control of the Senate, Republicans lack the power to defund the special counsel.
“Mike Johnson is the property of the Democratic Party, and it proves me right again,” Greene told Politico.
Before granting the motion to remove Johnson, Greene made her demands on Johnson publicly clear. Their demands include no more aid being sent to war-torn Ukraine, defunding the special counsel, passing 12 spending bills rather than an omnibus, and upholding the Hastert Treaty. . rule.
The Hastert Rule is the principle that leaders will not consider a bill in the House unless it is supported by a majority of Republicans. Johnson departed from that idea when he forced a vote on a $61 billion Ukraine aid bill that was opposed by a majority of House Republicans.
Ironically, Greene’s bet to remove Johnson from the throne was supported by only a handful of House Republicans. Even Trump opposed her rebellion.
Years of threats against Johnson came under fire last Wednesday in a 359-43 vote, with 196 Republicans and 163 voting in favor of her motion.
Democrats have signaled they are willing to throw Johnson a lifeline after he drew the ire of Greene by stepping up to help Ukraine.
Greene would have needed Democrats to act aggressively, as they did during the October insurrection against former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), which Greene opposed. .
Greene further scolded, saying, “This time, I feel like the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have come together and exposed a unified party that we have never seen before.”
Greene revealed that she spoke with Trump after her request for his removal from office failed, emphasizing the 45th president’s assertion that “a motion to resign as chairman may someday be justified.”
“The most important thing everyone needs to know is that people want a fighting Republican Party,” Greene added.
