Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has initiated a bold move to dethrone Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) due to his support for a bipartisan spending agreement poised to be approved by Congress this week.
Greene employed the motion to vacate the chair, a strategic maneuver that previously led to the departure of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in October, as per an insider with knowledge of the matter.
This action coincided with the House’s decision to pass the spending bill, a critical step to avert a potential partial government shutdown this weekend. The bill later garnered bipartisan support for its passage.
An official mentioned that Greene’s motion would be deferred until after the recess, noting it was not a privileged motion.
Speaking to journalists on the Capitol steps following the bill’s approval, Greene mentioned the motion would not be up for a vote until she brought it to the floor.
A spokesperson for Speaker Johnson emphasized his dedication to the spending package and other legislative priorities. “Speaker Johnson remains committed to addressing the concerns of the members while concentrating on governance. He is determined to advance conservative legislation that fortifies our national defense, secures our border, and illustrates our strategy to expand our majority,” stated Johnson’s spokesperson, Raj Shah.
Earlier on Steve Bannon’s podcast, Greene criticized Johnson for conceding too much to President Biden and the Democrats during the government funding negotiations. She hinted at seriously contemplating a motion to vacate the Speakership.
“We are evaluating our options on a minute-by-minute basis today, Steve, and I suggest you stay tuned,” Greene informed Bannon.
When Bannon probed whether she would spearhead the effort to remove Johnson, Greene hinted that such a motion was on the horizon.
“Decisions are being made as we speak, and I encourage you to keep an eye on what unfolds,” she remarked.
In the midst of Greene’s maneuvering, the House passed a $1.2 trillion government funding package, dubbed a minibus. Earlier in the week, Johnson had supported the package after extensive negotiations between congressional leaders and the White House.
Johnson claimed several victories for conservatives within the package, despite acknowledging the compromises made due to the divided nature of Washington, indicating that not all Republican objectives were met.
However, this rationale has not satisfied some House conservatives, who accuse the Speaker of excessively conceding to the Democrats, leaving the Republican party with little to show for it.
“This represents the worst-case scenario for Republicans, signaling to the nation that the Democrats, not the Republicans, control the House of Representatives. It appears that Chuck Schumer, rather than Mike Johnson and the Republicans, holds sway over the Speaker’s position,” Greene expressed to Bannon.
It remains uncertain whether Greene will garner sufficient support to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. This is partly because several Democrats, who unanimously supported McCarthy’s removal, have indicated their willingness to support Johnson if he continues to pursue bipartisan agreements with Biden on issues like government funding and Ukraine aid.
Johnson has declined to consider a Senate-passed foreign aid package, which includes significant funding for Ukraine. However, he has pledged to develop a House version of the legislation upon Congress’s return to Washington after a lengthy holiday recess.