Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Threatens Motion to Oust House Speaker Mike Johnson
ICARO Media Group
In a recent development, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has issued a sharp warning to House Speaker Mike Johnson, accusing him of betraying Republican voters after the House approved new aid to Ukraine. Greene stated that if Johnson doesn't resign, she will call for a vote to remove him from his position.
During an appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," Greene declared that Johnson's speakership is effectively over and emphasized the need for him to step down to allow the party to move forward in a controlled process. She further warned that if Johnson does not take this action voluntarily, his position will be vacated through the vote.
This confrontation comes after months of resistance from Johnson to bring a foreign aid bill to the House floor. However, on Saturday, Johnson aligned himself with Democrats to pass a $95 billion foreign aid package, including $61 billion allocated for Ukraine and its regional partners. This legislation received support from 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans, marking a rare instance of bipartisanship.
Greene's threat to oust Johnson is supported by at least two other Republicans who are also critical of his decision to support the aid package. With such a slim Republican majority in the House, Johnson may need to rely on Democrats to save his speakership should Greene and her supporters proceed with their motion.
While Johnson has maintained that he has not sought Democratic support, senior Republicans are confident that they will be able to rally bipartisan support to halt any motion to remove him from the speaker's chair. Johnson's courage in pushing forward with his plans could be attributed to this belief.
The outcome remains uncertain, as it is still unclear whether Democrats will come to Johnson's aid. However, there have been indications of a willingness to support him, particularly due to his defiance of the right flank to advance a foreign aid package that closely resembles a version previously passed by the Senate.
Greene, on the other hand, justified her delay in initiating the motion to vacate on Saturday by claiming responsibility and asserting that the move will happen. She called out Johnson for what she perceives as his betrayals.
In response to the potential ouster effort, Johnson remained unfazed, commenting that he does not walk around with concerns about a motion to vacate. He emphasized that he has carried out his duties and made decisions based on his belief in doing what is right for the House.
The foreign aid package will now head to the Senate, where final approval is anticipated this week. The coming days will shed light on whether Johnson can weather this storm and retain his position as House Speaker amidst internal party tensions.