For now, Democrats Protect Speaker Mike Johnson

So far, it’s been each talk and nary action from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and her threat to call a vote to region House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

A phalanx of reporters peppered Greene pinch questions arsenic she near nan U.S. Capitol Tuesday astir why she didn’t trigger her solution to dump Johnson aliases if she had a consciousness of what would punctual her to enactment against nan Speaker.

"Have you made a determination yet connected erstwhile to move ahead?" hollered 1 scribe.

"Are your threats benignant of a blank correct now erstwhile you do thing pinch your resolution?" asked yours truly.

"How soon do you scheme to make a decision," asked different reporter. 

 THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT HAPPENS IF GREENE TRIES TO OUST SPEAKER JOHNSON

Greene didn’t respond successful public. But she did measurement successful pinch a connection – moments aft House Democratic leaders announced they would formally protect Johnson if Greene tried to vacate nan chair.

In an bonzer move, nan House Democratic activity squad of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., declared "the clip has travel to move nan page connected this section of Pro-Putin Republican obstruction. We will ballot to array Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Motion to Vacate nan Chair. If she invokes nan motion, it will not succeed." 

Greene instantly changeable backmost astatine Johnson and nan Democrats.

"What slimy backroom woody did Johnson make for nan Democrats’ support?" Greene asked. 

The Georgia Republican went connected to opportunity that "Mike Johnson is officially the Democrat Speaker of nan House." She vowed to telephone a ballot "because putting Congress connected grounds allows each American to spot nan truth."

Johnson wasn’t moreover apprised that nan Democratic cavalry was coming.

"First I've heard of it," quipped Johnson astatine a property convention erstwhile asked astir nan Democratic backup. 

So is location fundamentally a Democratic Speaker of nan House now?  

"It makes nary quality to maine if it’s Hakeem Jeffries arsenic Speaker aliases Mike Johnson correct now," said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. "I mean we’re passing nan Democrat schedule anyway."

Speaker Mike Johnson is facing mounting threats to his activity domiciled complete his push for overseas aid (Getty Images)

I asked Rep. Chip Roy, R-Tex., if Johnson was now weaker, relying connected Democratic votes.

"He's already been relying connected Democrat votes," replied Roy.

That’s true. Johnson turned to Democrats to debar aggregate authorities shutdowns and walk nan overseas assistance package. Most Democrats were particularly pleased that Johnson greenlit a bundle of money for Ukraine. 

So is this awesome for Johnson and stableness successful nan House?

Maybe correct now. But location could beryllium a awesome downside present for Johnson. 

The maneuver by Democrats could embolden nan smaller coterie of Republicans who want to oust Johnson. And moreover immoderate rank-and-file Republicans could spot that Johnson is only successful nan occupation because of nan Democrats. This mightiness not undercut Johnson correct away. But it could springiness those who might want his occupation – perchance House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio – an opportunity to usage Democratic support arsenic a wedge and possibly situation Johnson for Speaker adjacent year aliases a activity station successful nan caller Congress if Republicans suffer nan majority. 

Let history beryllium our guide: 

Late House Speaker Joe Cannon, R-Ill. relied connected DEMOCRATS to past a ballot of nary assurance successful nan early 20th Century. Cannon retained nan Speakership. But mostly pinch thief from crossed nan aisle.

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That could beryllium nan aforesaid business here. 

And possibly a constituent successful Johnson’s favour is that they yet named a House agency building aft Cannon.

So, there’s that.

Prior to Democratic leaders announcing their support for Johnson, it was thought a fewer Democrats could simply ballot to defender Johnson. The different action was that they mightiness "take a walk." If Democrats don’t vote, that assists Johnson, changing nan mathematics successful nan House basal to region nan Speaker.

It should beryllium noted that different Member too nan Greene could trigger nan solution to "vacate nan chair" and unit nan House to tangle pinch nan anticipation of removing nan Speaker.

Or, successful a peculiarly audacious move, Johnson himself aliases an state could trigger nan resolution, assured that their forces will conclusion Greene soundly. Such a script could embarrass Greene and apt euthanize immoderate effort to region nan Speaker for nan remainder of nan Congress.

So here’s what happens if Greene’s solution is triggered:

The first ballot is apt connected a mobility to array aliases termination nan resolution. If nan House votes to table, nan gig is up. The House will person vanquished Greene’s effort. That’s wherever Democrats opportunity they will help.

(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democrats parsed nan parliamentary process of what they would do for Johnson. 

"None of nan chat that we had successful caucus was astir redeeming Mike Johnson," said Aguilar. "The underlying mobility to vacate was not discussed. The mobility to array was."

Aguilar alluded to Johnson’s efforts to thief erstwhile President Trump win nan election, contempt nan Electoral College results. Other Democrats person reservations astir Johnson because of his evangelical religion and staunch guidance to abortion. So this is not a full-throated endorsement of Johnson. This was much astir cutting disconnected Greene

"We want to show that nan emperor aliases nan empress has not clothes," said Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. "We person a group of group pinch nary consciousness of work to nan nation. They person been empowered for excessively long. And this is simply a measurement to disempower them."

I had questions for starring Democrats astir their determination to propulsion Johnson a lifeline.

"Do Democrats look for illustration they person a portion of Mike Johnson now aliases that he's someway beholden to Democrats if you protect him?" I asked Katherine Clark.

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"We will proceed to widen our manus to Mike Johnson successful bipartisanship and dream that they will proceed to study a instruction astir putting nan American people's voices backmost connected nan level of nan House," replied Clark. "We are saying nary to nan extremism and nan chaos that Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to peddle."

But let’s presume that nan House fails to protect Johnson. If nan mobility to array fails, nan House past instantly votes, up aliases down, connected whether to region Johnson. This is nan existent "motion to vacate nan chair."

If nan House votes successful favour of removing Johnson, chaos ensues. 

The House ceases to function, overmuch for illustration past autumn erstwhile Members removed erstwhile Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The House is paralyzed and cannot take any authorities action until it picks a caller Speaker. An acting Speaker Pro Tempore, for illustration House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., would return over. But person small powerfulness different than to gavel nan House into convention and out. 

(Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

By rule, nan adjacent bid of business is for nan House to return names successful information for a caller Speaker. The House past votes connected Speaker. In nan lawsuit of past fall, it took respective days earlier nan House was moreover fresh to see a caller Speaker. The Speakership sat vacant for 22 days.

Greene is pursuing a very acquainted path. 

In nan summertime of 2015, erstwhile Trump White House Chief of Staff and erstwhile Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., besides introduced a solution region then-House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. But overmuch for illustration Greene, Meadows ne'er pulled nan trigger, forcing a ballot connected nan floor. 

But aft an assemblage pinch Pope Francis astatine nan Capitol and an reside to a Joint Meeting of Congress, Boehner gave it each up. He wouldn’t time off immediately. The Speaker said he would first "clean nan barn" of nettlesome issues for illustration backing nan authorities and grappling pinch nan indebtedness ceiling. That would springiness nan caller Speaker clip to get their governmental oversea legs. 

Barring a awesome home aliases world crisis, Mike Johnson has fundamentally "cleaned nan barn" until fall. The "must do" database for Congress is alternatively anemic betwixt now and September 30. That’s nan adjacent large deadline: money nan government. Again. That’s why Greene - and immoderate who support her position - dream Johnson gets nan message. 

It’s unclear if that connection is large capable correct now. There are tons of unhappy Republicans. But fewer person nan tummy to strengthen different tempestuous play for illustration past autumn erstwhile nan House voted retired McCarthy. 

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If Greene can’t gin up nan support to region Johnson, nan adjacent ballot for House Speaker apt comes astir 1 p.m. ET connected January 3, 2025. The 119th Congress – nan caller Congress – convenes astatine noon ET nether nan Constitution. After a quorum telephone to find who each is there, nan first bid of business is nan predetermination of a House Speaker. Republicans will nominate 1 candidate. Democrats will nominate another. However, Members – who are technically representatives-elect astatine that constituent – tin ballot for anyone they want. 

And during that election, Democrats won’t protect Johnson. Either they will person nan mostly and elite Jeffries nan adjacent Speaker of nan House. Or, if Democrats are successful nan minority, Democrats will ballot for Jeffries and watch nan donnybrook connected nan different broadside of nan aisle.