Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, doing so just as the House voted to avoid a government shutdown. Johnson, R-La., has served as speaker for five months, having taken over for Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted from the top job under a similar process.
It was not immediately clear how the House would act on her motion, requiring a majority vote to remove the speaker. Greene, R-Ga., did not file the motion as privileged, which would force a vote within two legislative days. Instead, it could be referred to a committee as a regular motion, where it would likely languish.
The Motion To Vacate
Greene told reporters that her motion to vacate was “more of a warning than a pink slip,” saying she does not want to “throw the House into chaos.” This is similar to the three and a half weeks the chamber was without a speaker when McCarthy, her close ally, was ousted.
“I’m not saying that it won’t happen in two weeks, or it won’t happen in a month, or who knows when. But I am saying the clock has started. It’s time for our conference to choose a new speaker,” she said.
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She added that she had not discussed the motion with former President Donald Trump. As reported, the House left for a two-week recess and will consider the motion when it returns. The House will return to session on April 9, 2024.
Johnson’s Focus
Raj Shah, a spokesman for Johnson, said the speaker focuses “on governing.” “He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense, and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority,” Shah said.
What Matt Gaetz Has To Say About Ousting Mike Johnson
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who forced the vote to remove McCarthy as speaker, told reporters he doesn’t support a motion to vacate the chair and evict Johnson. “If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat,” Gaetz told reporters.
“When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with the Democrat speaker. And I was right. I couldn’t make that promise again.” Asked how that could happen, Gaetz said, “We’d have Republicans cross over. I worry that we’ve got Republicans who would vote for Hakeem Jeffries at this point. I take no joy in saying that.”
“But you can only vacate the speaker if you know that the party leadership won’t change hands,” he added. “I knew that with certainty last time. I don’t know it with certainty this time.” Gaetz’s move against McCarthy led to the first time in U.S. history that a House speaker was removed during a session.
It sparked weeks of chaos in the thin Republican majority as they scrambled to find a replacement before settling on Mike Johnson.
What Is the Opinion of Other Democrats?
Some moderate Democrats have previously said they would vote to save Mike Johnson if someone attempted to oust him. This is not out of love for the current speaker but to avoid another fight over replacement that would halt all business in the House.
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) said he’d be among the Democratic votes for Johnson. “This is a comedy routine, the idea that they’re trying to kick the speaker out for trying to keep the government open,” he said.
“It’s absurd. So I’m fed up with it, and I’ll vote to keep him the speaker,” Suozzi added. Also, vulnerable Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) said she was leaning strongly toward rescuing Mike Johnson, though she hasn’t made up her mind.
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“I do not think Speaker Johnson has been a model speaker or serves as a model for future speakers,” Wild said. “Having said that, I want to see us get work done.” She added, “The last thing in the world I want is another two- or three-week hiatus because it’s really hard for me to imagine who would be next in line.”
Wild concluded, “I can’t imagine that the Democrats would let this motion to vacate be successful.”
Further Opinions on Ousting Mike Johnson
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) called several times for Democrats to join most Republicans in saving Mike Johnson. He said that Greene’s motion would “create chaos and create unnecessary distractions.”
Similarly, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who voted to oust McCarthy, said he wouldn’t support a motion to remove Johnson. “No, he’s not lying to me,” he said. Lastly, Greene had been dropping hints about her plans.
Before the vote, she was asked about a motion to vacate on Steve Bannon’s podcast. She said, “We are making that decision on a minute-by-minute basis today, Steve, and I think you can stay tuned.”
“I urge you to watch what happens,” she added. “There’s a lot of people talking about a motion to vacate.” However, she didn’t elaborate on whether or when she would file a motion. When asked why, she replied, “All kinds of issues.”
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