Washington — Following a roughly hourlong meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene remains steadfast in her threat to push for a vote that could potentially end his speakership.
Describing the meeting as "direct" and "passionate," the congresswoman shows no signs of backing down.
Greene's initial threat stemmed from Johnson's reliance on Democrats to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill to avoid a government shutdown last month.
Since then, she has openly criticized his leadership in various media platforms, cautioning him that actions such as passing Ukraine aid or reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act would jeopardize his position. In a strongly worded letter to her Republican colleagues on Tuesday, Greene argued that Johnson has not upheld his commitments, accusing him of negotiating with Democrats and bending procedural rules to push through significant legislation.
Representative Greene has hinted at the possibility of forcing a vote to remove House Speaker Johnson from his position. However, she has not provided a specific timeline for when this vote might take place. It is worth noting that there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm among Republicans for another leadership change so soon after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted.
Greene mentioned that she did not set a "red line" for Johnson but is closely monitoring developments related to Ukraine funding and the reauthorization of FISA, a controversial spy authority. Additionally, Johnson proposed a "kitchen Cabinet group" to advise him, but Greene has not yet committed her support to this initiative.
Johnson expressed concerns about the potential chaos in the House if Greene proceeds with a vote to remove him from his position. Other Republicans have also criticized Greene's efforts, questioning the selection process for a new speaker. It took Republicans weeks to rally behind Johnson after McCarthy's removal, a situation that brought the House to a standstill.
"Attempting to initiate a motion to vacate on Mike Johnson seems like an insurmountable task," expressed Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas during a statement on Tuesday. "Even the Lord Jesus himself would struggle to navigate this situation. It's just not feasible. So, if not Mike, then who?"
Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who previously supported the removal of McCarthy, stated that she would not take a similar stance against Johnson.
"I will not endorse any individual advocating for a motion to vacate," Mace affirmed in reference to Greene's campaign.
Rep. Marc Molinaro of New York labeled the endeavor as "a blunder and a farce."
