WASHINGTON — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Wednesday forced a vote to remove Speaker Mike Johnson from office next week, intervening with Democrats and the speaker’s Republican allies to save Johnson’s job. boldly stated.
Mr. Greene, wearing a red “MAGA” hat, criticized Mr. Johnson for betraying Republicans and passing aid to Ukraine against the wishes of conservatives in a government funding bill that reauthorized the FISA surveillance program without new warrant requirements. etc. were criticized.
“So next week, I’m going to be calling for this motion to step down. I’m going to be calling for it, absolutely,” Greene said at a news conference outside the Capitol. “I can’t wait to see the Democrats go and support the Republican chairmen and then go back to the primaries and have to run for Congress again.”
Her new threat to Johnson comes as Democrats unite as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his Democratic leadership team vote on whether to “pass” a motion by Greene to oust her as speaker. The announcement came a day after Trump issued an unusual statement announcing his defense of Johnson. Promote bipartisan cooperation and return to normalcy.
“House Democrats have aggressively pushed back against MAGA extremism, and we will continue to do so. Now that our national security efforts are complete, we are turning the page on this chapter of obstruction by pro-Putin Republicans. The time has come,” Democratic leaders said in a statement Tuesday.
“We are voting to advance Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s motion to resign as speaker. If she moves this motion, it will not succeed,” they said.
Even some of Johnson’s other conservative critics oppose Greene’s push to remove him from office, saying it won’t go anywhere. She is the only two co-sponsors to her resolution.
Shortly after Greene’s press conference, Johnson issued a terse statement saying, “This motion is wrong for the Republican conference, wrong for the organization, and wrong for the country.”
Greene has for months been vocal in her opposition to the president, warning against handing over emergency foreign aid to Ukraine as thousands of migrants cross the southern border. But last month, after negotiations with the White House, Johnson pushed through a $95 billion national security package that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and a possible ban on the social media app TikTok. President Joe Biden quickly signed it into law.
“Now Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats come out and embrace Mike Johnson with a warm hug and a big wet kiss. And they’re ready. They support him and as Speaker. I’m ready to support him,” Green said. “They want to keep it going, they want to keep the band together. Why? Because Mike Johnson is giving them everything they want.”
Mr. Green called Mr. Johnson a member of the “Unionist Party.” The term is used by far-right Republicans to disparage Republicans who work with Democrats to pass bipartisan legislation. Behind Greene was a large poster of a photo of Johnson and Jeffries, with Democrats handing the speaker’s gavel to Republicans. A hat is placed atop the poster and its acronym “MUGA” stands for “Make Ukraine Great Again,” Green said.
The dynamics were very different from Johnson’s predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. Last fall, Democrats banded together with just eight House conservatives to make Mr. McCarthy the first speaker in history to be voted out of Congress midway through a term.
If Democrats had decided to do the same this time, Ms. Greene would have had enough Republican support to defeat Mr. Johnson, given the Republicans’ razor-thin two-seat advantage. Democrats’ decision to support Mr. Johnson would undermine Mr. Greene’s efforts and give her political impeachment against the speaker and her allies.
Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) both signed Greene’s motion. On Wednesday, Ms. Massey stood next to Ms. Greene’s girlfriend and defended her from her accusation that she was not acting like a serious lawmaker.
“She’s the most serious representative here,” Massey said.
When asked in an interview with NBC News who she was considering to replace Johnson as chairman, Greene said, “I’m not naming names, but I think there’s someone capable of doing so.”
“Anyone who is willing to fight for our cause. Anyone who refuses to share power with Hakeem Jeffries,” she said.
