Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has filed a motion to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, after Johnson’s approval of a $1.2 trillion spending package, which Greene opposed. The Georgia representative’s move came just as the House voted to prevent a government shutdown. This action doesn’t immediately force a vote due to Greene choosing to file it as a regular motion rather than a privileged one, delaying potential consideration until after a two-week recess.
Speaker Johnson, having served for only five months, finds his position challenged amidst internal party conflicts. Previously, the House saw Kevin McCarthy ousted from the speaker role through a similar process, with Rep. Matt Gaetz playing a crucial role. Gaetz, however, expressed reluctance to support Greene’s motion, fearing it might inadvertently benefit Democrats.
Greene hinted at her intentions on Steve Bannon’s podcast and later confirmed her plans to reporters, emphasizing her dissatisfaction with Johnson’s leadership. The resolution’s filing is the latest crack in the ever-expanding rift within the GOP; Johnson himself was elected after Republicans underwent a tumultuous and chaotic search for a potential successor to McCarthy.
The House’s decision to pass the controversial spending package, negotiated with Democratic leaders and the White House, included key policy wins for Republicans, according to Johnson. However, Greene criticized the negotiation’s outcome, particularly for failing to secure extreme border policy changes.
This incident continues to unfold as the Republican Party grapples with divisions and general strategic direction ahead of the 2024 election season. Some members are clearly concerned about the repercussions of another leadership upheaval, and of appearing once more as a broken, lost party on the big stage; other’s, like Greene, are intent on adhering to the most radical of the old GOP base, the new Maga.
