Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Vows to Oust House Speaker Johnson Over Ukraine Aid Package

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ICARO Media Group
Politics
21/04/2024 18h56

In a recent interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, reiterated her intention to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson if he does not resign following the passage of a $95 billion package that includes foreign aid to Ukraine. Greene firmly stated that Johnson's leadership is over and called for his resignation, emphasizing the need to move forward in a controlled process.

During the interview, Greene confirmed her determination to proceed with her motion to vacate Johnson from his position, stating that it will occur regardless of his decision. In response to inquiries about the changing stance within the House regarding the motion, Johnson's office directed NBC News to his recent remarks, where he expressed no concern about the motion to vacate and affirmed his commitment to fulfilling his duties as Speaker.

Johnson has faced criticism from hard-right members of his party since he joined Democrats in passing the foreign aid package, which includes $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine. Two other Republican representatives, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, have endorsed Greene's motion to vacate, although she has not yet brought it to the floor as a privileged resolution.

If the motion reaches the floor, the support of three Republican votes, including Greene, Gosar, and Massie, along with all Democrats, could potentially lead to its passage. However, some House Democrats have signaled their intention to vote in support of Johnson to retain his position as Speaker.

On "Fox News Sunday," Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a moderate Democrat from Florida who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized Greene's efforts, asserting that removing the Speaker at this moment would only strengthen China, Russia, and Iran. Similarly, Rep. Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat from California and member of the House Armed Services Committee, expressed his disagreement with Johnson on several issues but affirmed his support for keeping Johnson in his role until the end of his term.

It is worth noting that Democrats' support for the motion to vacate is a departure from their previous lockstep approach, which resulted in the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last October, ultimately leading to the rise of Johnson. Previous attempts to remove Speakers in congressional terms were unsuccessful, never reaching the floor for a vote.

As the motion to vacate remains a topic of contention within the House, the fate of Speaker Johnson will likely depend on the dynamics between hard-right Republicans, moderate Democrats, and the ultimate outcome of the impending vote.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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