WASHINGTON — Strong-willed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made a sudden move on Wednesday to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, but her unlikely attempt was quickly and decisively turned down by both Democrats and Republicans who were weary of the political unrest.
One of Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, Greene stood in the House and listed a long series of “wrongdoings” she claimed Johnson had committed as speaker. Her colleagues protested with boos.
From Georgia, Greene criticized Johnson’s leadership as “pitiful, feeble, and unacceptable.”
Almost immediately after Greene sparked the vote on her proposal to remove the speaker from his position, the Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise responded by calling for a vote to set it aside.
A vast majority, 359-43, kept Johnson in his role, at least for now.
This is the second attempt in a few months by Republicans to remove their own speaker, which is an extraordinary level of party turmoil and a move seldom seen in U.S. history.
Despite opposition from prominent Republicans, including Trump, Greene continued to push forward. GOP lawmakers gathered around Johnson, giving him pats on the back and grasping his shoulder to show their support.
“As I’ve said from the start, and I've emphasized daily, I plan to fulfill my duties,” Johnson stated afterwards. “And I’ll accept whatever consequences come my way. In my opinion, that is leadership.”
Johnson stated that the “distraction” was in the past and expressed hope that it meant the end of the focus on individual personalities.
The Georgia Republican had pledged she would demand a vote on the motion to remove the Republican speaker if he proceeded with a foreign aid package containing funds for Ukraine, which was overwhelmingly approved late last month and signed into law.
But in recent days, it appeared that her efforts had waned as she and Johnson repeatedly met to potentially find a resolution.
Johnson of Louisiana pressed on, stating he was willing to take the risk to approve the foreign aid, believing it was important for the U.S. to support Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and explaining that he wanted to be on the “right side of history.”
In a highly uncommon move, the speaker received support from Democrats led by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, whose leadership team had stated it was time to “move on” from the Republican turmoil and vote to set aside Greene’s proposal — almost ensuring that Johnson’s job is safe, at least for now.
“Our decision to prevent Marjorie Taylor Green from causing further chaos in the country is based on our dedication to solving problems,” Jeffries said after the vote.
