Marjorie Taylor Greene Leads Charge to Oust House Speaker Mike Johnson

Avery Emberly

Updated Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 11:25 AM CDT

Marjorie Taylor Greene Leads Charge to Oust House Speaker Mike Johnson

In a controversial move set to send shockwaves through Washington, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia has announced plans to call a vote to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, also a Republican from Louisiana, in the following week. Despite former President Donald Trump's endorsement of Johnson and his plea for party unity, Greene proceeds with her plan, a decision that is not widely supported among House Republicans. Only a handful of GOP members, including Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), have publicly backed Greene's effort.

Greene's criticism of Johnson's leadership stems from his role in securing aid for Ukraine and his allowance of a bill reauthorizing wiretapping powers under Section 702, both of which garnered bipartisan support. Johnson's perceived cooperation with Democrats, particularly his reliance on their votes for major bills and to maintain his Speaker position, has also drawn Greene's ire. According to Greene, alongside Massie and Gosar, Johnson represents a puppet for Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), embodying far-right obstructionism.

Democratic leaders, including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, have expressed their intention to support Johnson by voting to table Greene's motion. Jeffries has criticized Greene for creating chaos and impeding legislative progress, instead viewing Johnson as a potential ally in steering the party away from far-right tendencies.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders have described Greene's move as harmful to both the Republican Party and the country. Michael Whatley, head of the Republican National Committee, has called for GOP members to delay efforts to remove Johnson until after the fall election, advocating for unity. Despite these calls for party cohesion, Greene, donning a "MAGA" hat during her announcement, has shown a rare act of defiance against Trump.

The motion, which is seen as a response to legislation passed under Johnson's leadership that displeased the far-right faction, including Ukraine aid, is unlikely to succeed in the House vote. House Republicans have listed numerous complaints against Johnson, criticizing his handling of internal party matters and leadership on key legislative issues.

The Republican Party is currently grappling with internal challenges, including a tight election race between Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden, and maintaining a narrow majority in the House. The party had previously ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a bid to find an alternative, which led to a prolonged period of political paralysis—a situation Greene had promised to avoid.

Greene's "motion to vacate" is an unexpected use of House rules to force a vote on the Speaker, a move that has caught some Republicans off guard. If it succeeds, which is considered unlikely, the House would face the task of selecting a new speaker for the second time since October. Johnson has countered Greene's demands, arguing that non-cooperation with Democrats would only lead to gridlock, not Republican victories.

As the Republican-controlled House braces for chaos, with members forced to choose between removing Johnson or siding with Democrats, Greene continues to assert that Johnson does not represent the Republican base and fails to give them a legitimate say in the legislative process. The vote on Johnson's position as Speaker is set to test the unity and direction of the GOP in an already tumultuous political climate.

Conservative Bias:

Ladies and gentlemen, what we're witnessing here is the epitome of a Republican patriot, Marjorie Taylor Greene, taking a valiant stand against the spineless RINO, Mike Johnson, who's nothing more than a lackey for the Democrats. This so-called "Republican" Speaker has betrayed conservative values by pandering to the left, doling out American tax dollars to Ukraine, and undermining our privacy with wiretapping powers. It's high time we had leaders who stand firm on principle instead of capitulating to the whims of the left and their puppet, Hakeem Jeffries. Greene's bold move to oust Johnson is exactly the kind of action we need to drain the swamp and take back our party from those who would rather cozy up to the Democrats than fight for the America we love. It's clear that Johnson has forgotten who he's supposed to represent – the true conservative base – and it's about time we showed him the door.

Liberal Bias:

Once again, the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party, led by the unhinged Marjorie Taylor Greene, is attempting to sabotage our democracy by ousting a duly elected Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Johnson, who has shown a modicum of reasonableness and bipartisanship, is now under attack simply for not bowing down to the most radical elements of his party. This reckless power grab is nothing more than a continuation of the far-right's assault on our institutions and their relentless obstructionism. Greene and her cronies are willing to throw our government into chaos, all to appease the MAGA crowd and undermine any attempt at legislative progress. It's a clear indication that the Republican Party is no longer interested in governance but in catering to the most extreme voices that are holding our political system hostage. This shameful move to remove a leader who dares to work across the aisle betrays a dangerous and divisive agenda that threatens the very fabric of our nation.

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