House Democratic leaders announced Tuesday that they will vote to thwart any effort from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from his post, saying the "time has come to turn the page on this chapter of pro-Putin Republican obstruction."
Greene, a far-right Republican from Georgia, has been threatening to begin a procedure to oust Johnson from the speakership. Greene this week said Johnson's days as speaker are "numbered."
"We will vote to table Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Motion to Vacate the Chair," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement Tuesday after their House Democratic caucus meeting. "If she invokes the motion, it will not succeed."
In response, Greene posted on social media on Tuesday morning that "Mike Johnson is officially the Democrat Speaker of the House. Here is their official endorsement of his speakership."
"What slimy back room deal did Johnson make for the Democrats' support?" Green said.
Johnson took over as speaker in October following the removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy by Republicans using a similar procedure that Greene has threatened to employ against Johnson. With a narrow majority in the House, Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes.
When a motion is tabled, it means that the consideration of that motion is postponed or suspended indefinitely, while a motion to vacate the chair is a process that can be initiated by a single member in the House to initiate votes for the removal of the speaker.
Greene criticizes Johnson for his efforts in passing foreign aid bills that benefit Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as for collaborating with Democrats earlier this year to secure a $1.2 trillion spending bill to prevent a government shutdown.
"For months, House Republicans recklessly delayed crucial security assistance to our democratic allies in Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, while simultaneously obstructing humanitarian aid to civilians in areas like Gaza, Haiti, and Sudan," stated House Democratic leaders. "Thanks to a bipartisan coalition of Democrats and Republicans, spearheaded by President Biden, we were finally able to address the national security needs of the American people."
"Since the start of this Congress, House Democrats have prioritized people over politics and found common ground with traditional Republicans to deliver tangible outcomes," they added. "Simultaneously, House Democrats have strongly opposed MAGA extremism. This stance will persist moving forward."
