Associated Press
Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate on Friday in the middle of a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government open.
It’s the same political dynamic that removed the last Republican Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, just five months ago when far-right conservatives revolted over his compromise with Democrats to prevent a federal shutdown. But this one faces steeper odds with less GOP support.
The House is scheduled to leave town for a two-week Spring recess at the end of Friday’s session, and it’s doubtful any vote on removing Johnson, of Louisiana, would be imminent.
“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members but is focused on governing,” spokesman Raj Shah said. “He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.”
Under the rules, any member can make the motion privileged, which would require leaders to schedule a vote within two legislative days. But it can also simply sit until lawmakers return next month.
Greene, of Georgia, said she was issuing a “warning” to Johnson but did not indicate a timetable for her next move.
“We’ve started the clock to start the process to elect a new Speaker,” she said on the Capitol steps.
Yet even the threat of removal, the ultimate punishment for a Speaker, will hang over Johnson’s young speakership, just months on the job — particularly as he turns next to passing funding to support Ukraine that far-right Republicans oppose.
No Speaker had been removed this way until McCarthy’s dramatic ouster last fall, a swift, stunning and chaotic episode that essentially shuttered the House chamber for weeks as Republicans searched for a new Speaker.
Greene is a leading ally of the Republicans’ presumed 2024 presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, and McCarthy, of California, was toppled by a similar contingent of far-right Republicans led at the time by Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
The Georgia Congresswoman spoke vehemently against House passage of the government funding bill, and she has warned she would try to remove the Speaker if he pushes ahead with a package to support Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion.
Johnson has refused to put a $95 billion Senate-passed national security package with Ukraine funds to a House vote, but nevertheless he promised to fund Ukraine as a next priority. The removal threat against him now puts any votes to help Ukraine in potential jeopardy.
With the most narrow majority in modern times, Johnson has a weak grasp on his Republicans in the House. He can risk only a few defectors on any vote, meaning he could be easily ousted, unless Democrats jump in with their votes to protect him.
Still, many Republicans in Congress were embarrassed by McCarthy’s removal as Speaker, which exposed deep party divisions and infighting that left their new majority, in office since January, unable to fully function on priorities.
The night before Friday’s voting, Gaetz warned against trying to oust Johnson, saying that Republican lawmakers fed up with the process would cross the aisle and vote for the Democratic leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
“If we vacated this Speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat,” Gaetz predicted late Thursday. “When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with a Democrat Speaker. … I couldn’t make that promise again today.”
The idea of a Republican House majority casting votes to make a Democrat the House Speaker would be an unheard-of political situation.
But with Republicans at war among themselves, it is also one that could potentially transpire as they try to return Congress to a sense of normalcy.
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
15 comments
Michael K
March 22, 2024 at 1:56 pm
Republicans are unable and unwilling to do the work of governing. Gaetz and MTG are simply performative idiots who waste enormous amounts of time and money with their puerile stunts.
Impeach Biden
March 22, 2024 at 2:00 pm
I give you the squad as a group of idiots on the other side and then we can add Hank Johnson “Guam will sink” to that list.
Impeach Biden
March 22, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Stupid. Learn from the Demos and stick together Repubs. Of course the Demos will go along with it.
PeterH
March 22, 2024 at 2:26 pm
You should be proud of Gaetz and MTG and a small handful of other wingnuts! You, Ms. Pushaw ….. a Putin puppet….and DeSantis’s puppet string master ….YOU are responsible for this mess! Take a bow!
PeterH
March 22, 2024 at 2:20 pm
REPUBLICAN “HOUSE CLEANSING ALERT!”
If Republicans can’t govern themselves…..why should the American electorate expect them to govern the country?
REPUBLICANS ARE AMERICA’S WORST ENEMY!
VOTE ALL REPUBLICANS OUT OF OFFICE!
rick whitaker
March 22, 2024 at 2:40 pm
MTG dems 2024 election holecard. with her, how can we lose.
Dont Say FLA
March 22, 2024 at 3:02 pm
What would be the point?
Mike Johnson is just a House N____r to Unelected House Speaker Trump.
So again, Large Marge, what even would be the point?
Earl Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
March 22, 2024 at 3:45 pm
Relax your sphincters Sage Patriots,
I, Earl Pitts American, am working with our elected Republicans up there in DC.
This “Taylor-Green” announcement is just to trick the Democrats into “Thinking” we are “Stupid Enough” to react by pulling another McCarthy “Cluster Puck”.
WELL WE ARE NOT:
What we will do is “SHUT THIS $HYT DOWN”.
As I, Earl Pitts American, explained when I put MTG on this “Head Fake”. Because America will blame the Left Totally if we have a shut down.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
March 22, 2024 at 6:20 pm
WARNING INANE TROLL COMMENT BY EARL THE SPHINCTER LOVER “THE BIG MOUTH ON THE BITE” UNAMERICAN
Earl Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
March 22, 2024 at 6:46 pm
Great news Rick,
I’ve secured the Pitts Family Sky Box for Trump’s Sage Inaugration and you will be sitting on my right next to Daddy Earl your rightfull place after all your hard work and unwavering loyalty to me, Daddy Earl Pitts American.
rick whitaker
March 22, 2024 at 6:52 pm
earl, ok ok ok you are a punk’s punk, but also a delusional punk’s punk. i predict you and trump will die soon.
Dont Say FLA
March 22, 2024 at 4:30 pm
There go Mike Gallagher, another House Republican quitting without notice, without waiting until the end of his term.
If MGD gets her way, Mike Johnson’s going to be the next to go. Adiós!
If there a betting deadpool yet for which House Republicans will be quitting next?
Dont Say FLA
March 22, 2024 at 4:46 pm
Dang R flies be droopping so fast I missed Ken Buck of Colorado quit too!
And he was one the right wingers. Apparently he realized his MAGA paty’s white resistance was too small, and futile
LOL @ G0imPlosion
Dont Say FLA
March 22, 2024 at 5:13 pm
Is it to the point yet where MGD can threaten to quit because if she quits, Donald Trump loses his unelected speakership due to Mike Johnson losing the majority?
LOL @ GOPs. Jump when MGD says jump, or she quits and you’re the minority again.
Michael K
March 22, 2024 at 9:01 pm
Marge Madness.
Comments are closed.