Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is taking another step toward forcing a vote that could potentially remove House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).
Greene and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), along with Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), have publicly called on Johnson to step down or move to resign, Wednesday morning. They are scheduled to gather at the National Diet Building and announce the next measures. .
The pair’s escalation comes after House Democratic leaders announced on Tuesday that they would support Johnson and intend to file any motion that would require him to step down. The Democratic Party’s statement said Johnson is partnering with President Biden and a “bipartisan coalition” of “traditional Republicans.”[push] He claimed to “fight back against MAGA extremism” (a trait Mr. Johnson is unlikely to find popular with Donald Trump) and pumped tens of billions of dollars in aid into Ukraine and Gaza.
Mr Massey said he and Mr Green would explain on Wednesday how the Democratic Party’s support would “impact the motion for the resignation of the United Party chairman”.
.@RepMTG A press conference will be held tomorrow at Triangle Square of the National Diet Building. Hakeem Jeffries today supported Mike Johnson to remain as Chair. We discuss how this affects motions to withdraw seats. #uniparty speaker. pic.twitter.com/2e1Fxapi3K
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 30, 2024
Mr. Greene and Mr. Massey echoed conservative complaints that Johnson abandoned previous promises and instead promoted and even fought for President Joe Biden and Democratic Party policies. (extending beyond).
In just six months as speaker, Johnson has rammed through a massive two-part multitrillion-dollar spending bill that funds nearly all of Biden’s priorities, but he has not put intelligence on surveillance before monitoring the American people. It overturned and nullified the requirement for agencies to obtain warrants and presumably put most of the population under surveillance. It’s painful for conservatives — surrendering after months of vows never to move foreign aid before taking action on border security.
Passing the Foreign Surveillance Act without requiring a warrant and providing tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine were perhaps Biden’s biggest priorities in the second half of his term. Mr. Johnson got Mr. Biden the results he wanted, both on the warrant requirement (for which Mr. Johnson was the deciding vote) and on the Ukraine funding, over the objections of his own party majority.
Even before Mr. Johnson capitulated over the Ukraine funding, Republicans were openly questioning what kind of deal he could have struck with Democrats to protect his chairmanship from Republicans increasingly dissatisfied with their policy advances. I was speculating.
“What kind of slimy backroom deals did Mr. Johnson make to win Democratic support?” Greene asked.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that Prime Minister Johnson’s abandonment of aid to Ukraine has earned him goodwill with Democrats, but that Democrats should insist on more aid. He said it’s a sentiment that other Democrats have expressed publicly and privately.
“I don’t think we’re giving these things away for free,” she said. “I think the vote on aid to Ukraine was helpful to many members of this caucus,” she continued, adding, “This is an important moment for Democrats to use this opportunity to advocate for their priorities. ”
Greene and Massey huddled with other Republicans in the House chamber for about 30 minutes after voting ended Tuesday, then slipped past reporters and into the House chamber through a side door. After leaving the stadium 10 minutes later, Green largely ignored reporters’ questions, saying only that “plans are still evolving.”
They immediately announced the next press conference.
Despite widespread dissatisfaction with Johnson within the Republican Party, many may choose to wait until November to replace him.
“We’re passing the Democratic agenda every day we’re here,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) I lamented. “We have a slim majority in the House, and everything passes with overwhelming Democratic support. So whether the speaker is Hakeem Jeffries or Mike Johnson, for me It makes no difference.”
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of Mr. Johnson’s most outspoken conservative critics, said that Mr. Johnson has already sold his farm and that most of this year’s major legislative items remain. He suggested that there may be little success in sacking Mr Johnson now.
“We’ve moved the bill with significant Democratic votes,” he said, but “we’ve already moved most of it.” So right now we’re thinking about how to move forward as a family. ”
Green and Massey’s plans are currently unknown.
If a vote is forced, the vote must be taken within two days of enactment. However, Prime Minister Johnson is now likely to have the support of Democratic leaders to force a vote to introduce the motion immediately.
But there is no limit to the number of times Greene or other lawmakers can push a motion to invalidate the vote. Other members of Congress may have little recourse other than formal censure.
Greene is unlikely to be deterred by threats of censure. And it is part of her calculations to make things as uncomfortable as possible for Johnson and the coalition of Republicans and Democrats who support him until Johnson either loses his support or relinquishes his gavel himself. It is possible that it is a department.
No matter how Greene and Massey behave, House Republicans must understand why they are in Washington and how they can best guide them toward their professed legislative goals, both now and after the election. You will begin to search your heart to find out who is capable of it.
“At the end of the day, the bills that we have been pushing forward are not what our people sent us,” Roy said. “Then he has to think about what the time between now and November means.”
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
