Staff Reports
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative lawmaker from Georgia, took action yesterday to remove Republican Speaker Mike Johnson from his leadership position in the House. She accused Mr. Johnson of working with Democrats to pass important bills, such as the government spending bill and foreign aid package for Ukraine, without considering conservative priorities.
House conservative moves to oust GOP speaker following two days of talks https://t.co/lLo9rVqYob
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Ms. Greene criticized Mr. Johnson for not including funding to address illegal immigration in the southern border in the bipartisan legislation he supported. She described his support for these bills as “pathetic, weak and unacceptable.” She believes the Republican Party should have been more focused on securing funding to address this critical issue.
Ms. Greene’s motion to remove Mr. Johnson as speaker is expected to be met with opposition from most Republicans and some Democrats. However, she has found support from Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, who also plans to vote to push out Mr. Johnson.
The Democratic leaders in the House have pledged to support Mr. Johnson and prevent his removal from the speakership. The House is now likely to hold a vote on whether Mr. Johnson should remain as speaker, which may require some Democratic votes to influence the outcome.
This move by Ms. Greene follows private meetings with Mr. Johnson, during which she presented him with a list of demands. She has made it clear that she expects the speaker to take action to address her concerns and prioritize conservative principles in future legislative matters.
While the outcome of the vote remains uncertain, Ms. Greene’s actions highlight the divisions within the Republican Party over the approach to bipartisan legislation and the party’s priorities in the House.
