In a recent House vote, Speaker Mike Johnson successfully fended off an attempt by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove him from his post. The vote to kill the effort was overwhelming, with most Republicans and all Democrats except seven voting to support Johnson. Greene’s attempt to oust Johnson came after he pushed through a $95 billion national security spending package over the objections of right-wing Republicans who opposed sending aid to Ukraine. Only two other Republicans publicly supported Greene’s motion, with the majority of House members booing and jeering as she read the resolution aloud.
This was the second time in under a year that Republicans sought to depose their own speaker. Greene had made it clear that even if her attempt was unsuccessful, she believed in undermining Johnson’s position. She had met with Johnson to negotiate demands for not calling the ouster vote, including cutting off future U.S. aid to Ukraine and imposing spending cuts. Johnson stated that he was not negotiating with Greene or the other lawmaker involved, and that part of his job was to consider suggestions from members. Greene initially filed the motion in late March after opposing a spending bill pushed through by Johnson but did not immediately act on her threat.
Greene’s move paved the way for only the second vote on the House floor in over 100 years on whether to oust the speaker. Republicans were wary of causing chaos in the House again, as seen after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, and many were skeptical of removing Johnson. Democrats widely supported Johnson, as opposed to the situation in October when they joined right-wing Republicans in voting to oust McCarthy. Greene reemphasized her commitment to her threat, stating that Americans deserved transparency in Congressional votes.
Despite the backing from Democrats, some Republicans were uncomfortable with the idea of firing another speaker, given the potential implications on control of the House. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, confirmed that Democrats would support Johnson in a joint statement with the party’s top House leaders. Greene’s resolution was seen as a distraction during a period when House Republicans had the smallest majority in history. Mr. Johnson called the motion wrong for the Republican Conference, the institution, and the country.
In conclusion, despite Greene’s attempt to oust Speaker Johnson, the majority of members in the House voted to support him. While Greene’s move drew attention to internal divisions within the Republican Party, it ultimately did not gain traction due to overwhelming support for Johnson from both Republicans and Democrats. The House remained stable, and Johnson continued in his role despite the attempt to remove him.
