Sources close to the situation say that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Republican, moved to remove Mike Johnson as speaker on Friday in response to right-wing opposition to the government funding package.
Two legislative days following her recognition, the House must consider Greene’s motion. The clock to compel a vote has not yet started as Greene told reporters on Friday that she would not call up the resolution and the chamber is heading for a two-week break.
There is a rising right-wing rebellion, and Greene’s motion is the most outspoken challenge to the leadership of the Louisiana Republican that we have seen so far.
Since Johnson assumed the speakership last year with the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy, the partisan differences have intensified, and this endeavour represents a substantial escalation of those tensions. An unruly procedure that left the House with no leadership and halted all floor activity for weeks has been formally restarted with Greene’s move.
With one of the slimmest margins in House history, Johnson has relied on Democratic votes to pass crucial legislation, such as Friday’s government funding deal. As a result, these bills show bipartisan compromise, which conservative hardliners criticise as being too liberal.
“I served the notice to vacate today, but it’s more of a caution and a dismissal,” Greene informed reporters following the filing of the move. I value our meeting. The dues I owed my conference were fully paid. Being a law-abiding citizen, my goal is not to cause trouble for our conference or to cause the House to descend into anarchy.
Representative Greene plans to utilise the two weeks off while the House is not in session to figure out when to file the motion to vacate, according to GOP lawmakers who spoke with her, who told AWN.
Johnson waved away AWN’s question for a response when she asked for one.
It is the wish of some Republicans that the House will be able to avoid a new speaker battle.
Greene was surrounded by her Republican colleagues following the filing of the motion. According to an AWN source familiar with the discussions, some Republican lawmakers were attempting to dissuade the Georgia Republican from bringing the motion. Greene was seen engaging in a lengthy discussion with two of the lawmakers there, Republican Reps. Barry Loudermilk and Kat Cammack.
Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, a Republican, announced his intention to resign in April, months before his term ends. This development has stoked fears that GOP infighting and Greene’s motion could lead to the party’s loss of its one-vote majority in the House.
According to moderate Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, who spoke with AWN, Greene’s endeavour is “idiotic” and “does not do anything to advance the conservative movement.”
Even if he doesn’t think the GOP will lose the majority due to infighting, Lawler noted, “idiotic stunts don’t help.” Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, who served in the House and remains politically connected, cautioned that Greene’s motion could cause Republicans to lose the House.
“I believe this creates serious problems — serious problems — for the current lawmakers, for our opponents, for the Republican Party if this passes. The House is going to be in disarray if this continues and they don’t have a speaker,” Mullin stated.
Meanwhile, Senate GOP campaign arm chair and Montana senator Steve Daines stated that the danger to Johnson and the GOP’s narrow majority “illustrates the point that the House needs to expand its majority” and will assist in mobilising people.
Despite the current state of affairs in the House, he assured AWN that the American people will insist that Speaker Johnson consolidate his power and that Republicans maintain control of the Senate.
Meanwhile, Greene’s worries were heard by Alabama GOP senator Tommy Tuberville.
A number of the provisions in this law disappoint us all. As a conservative, Tuberville acknowledged that she is. “We are fighting for the American people,” he said, ignoring worries that Republican infighting makes it seem like the party can’t govern.
In the vote to remove McCarthy last autumn, every single Democrat joined eight Republicans in doing so. But Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin hinted on Friday that he could work with Johnson if the president took action to bring aid to Gaza and Ukraine to a vote.
I have no personal interest in the specific professional goals of any one Republican colleague. Raskin told AWN that they should figure it out. However, I will unite with those who will defend the Ukrainian people, get much-needed humanitarian aid for Gaza, and advocate for a two-state solution. I’m open to talking to anyone.
