Congress is set to vote on whether to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, triggered the process for his ouster. Greene filed a “privileged” motion, giving the House two legislative days to act on it. However, the effort is expected to fail as Johnson has bipartisan support among House members. Greene had previously filed an initial motion to vacate back in March, but it did not have a timeline for a vote.
Greene stated last week that she planned to force a vote in response to Democratic House leaders releasing a statement saying they would vote against Johnson’s ouster. The House could potentially vote to table the motion, which would avoid a formal vote on the House floor altogether. Greene had supported Johnson’s election as speaker after the removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. She has expressed frustration with Johnson over bills he pushed through the House with Democratic support, including the fiscal year 2024 budget and a foreign aid package for Ukraine.
While Greene has support from only two other Republicans, Reps. Paul Gosar and Tom Massie, multiple Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have stated they will vote to save Johnson from being ousted. Johnson expressed confidence that the removal effort would fail, calling it a “dangerous gambit” given the current challenges the country is facing. He mentioned various issues such as wars, unrest, and an open border that require attention.
The vote on Johnson’s removal comes after Greene’s previous threats to oust him. The motion filed by Greene is expected to fail due to bipartisan support for Johnson among House members. The House may choose to table the motion, avoiding a formal vote on the House floor, but the final outcome remains to be seen. Greene’s frustration with Johnson stems from his support for bills that she opposes, including foreign aid packages for Ukraine, and this disagreement has sparked the current effort to remove him from his position as speaker.
Overall, the outcome of the upcoming vote in Congress is uncertain, but it is likely that Johnson will remain as House Speaker given the bipartisan support he has garnered. Despite Greene’s efforts, the motion to vacate Johnson is not expected to succeed, and the House may choose to take action to avoid a formal vote on the floor. This situation highlights the divisions within the Republican Party and the challenges faced by House members as they navigate various policy issues and disagreements within their own ranks.
