Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened to force a vote that could end House Speaker Mike Johnson’s speakership. Their approximately hour-long meeting did not result in a deal, as Greene felt she received a lot of excuses from Johnson. She has openly criticized his leadership for relying on Democrats to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill and warned him that passing certain legislative measures could jeopardize his position. Despite this, Greene has not set a timeline for forcing a vote, and there has been minimal interest among Republicans to remove another leader after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted.
During the meeting, Greene did not provide Johnson with a red line for her potential vote and is monitoring developments on Ukraine funding and the reauthorization of FISA. Johnson suggested creating a “kitchen Cabinet group” to advise him, but Greene has not expressed support for that idea at this time. If Greene proceeds with a vote, Johnson predicted it would lead to chaos in the House, and other Republicans have criticized her effort, questioning who would be elected as the new speaker. Some Republican representatives, including Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Marc Molinaro, have expressed opposition to Greene’s move to force a vote.
The possibility of removing Johnson as House Speaker has led to concerns among Republicans regarding the selection of a new leader. The process of uniting behind a new speaker could potentially paralyze the House, as seen after McCarthy’s removal. Some representatives, such as Rep. Troy Nehls, have questioned the feasibility of finding a replacement for Johnson and have expressed skepticism about the impact of Greene’s efforts. Despite these criticisms, Greene remains committed to her threat to force a vote that could result in the ousting of Johnson as House Speaker.
Overall, Greene’s meeting with Johnson did not lead to a resolution of their differences, with both maintaining their positions on the potential vote. The lack of support among Republicans for removing Johnson indicates the challenges that Greene may face in achieving her goal. As the situation unfolds, the future of Johnson’s speakership remains uncertain, and Greene’s actions could have significant implications for the stability and leadership within the House of Representatives.
