1 month ago
Should Johnson interest astir MTG ouster threat?
Washington — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene connected Tuesday renewed her threat to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, penning a blistering missive that condemned his activity arsenic she tries to summation support among her Republican colleagues for his imaginable removal.
The five-page missive does not bespeak if aliases erstwhile she plans to unit a level ballot connected Johnson's removal, according to a transcript shared pinch CBS News. But it comes arsenic lawmakers return from a two-week recess and Johnson faces expanding unit to move connected Ukraine aid, which Greene adamantly opposes.
"Mike Johnson is publically saying backing Ukraine is now his apical privilege erstwhile little than 7 months agone he was against it," nan Georgia Republican wrote. "The American group disagree — they judge our separator is nan only separator worthy fighting a warfare over, and I work together pinch them."
Greene laid nan groundwork past period for Johnson's imaginable ouster aft he worked pinch Democrats to push done a $1.2 trillion spending bill to avert a partial authorities shutdown and extremity a monthslong spending fight. Greene said astatine nan clip that nan solution calling for nan Louisiana Republican's removal was "more of a warning" and that she did not scheme to instantly unit a level ballot that would propulsion nan Republican-led House into further chaos.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks to nan media connected nan House steps of nan Capitol aft filing her mobility to vacate targeting Speaker of nan House Mike Johnson connected Friday, March 22, 2024.
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
The missive offers a searing rebuke of Johnson's short tenure starring nan GOP conference, pinch Greene arguing he has grounded to unrecorded up to his promises by negotiating pinch Democrats and breaking procedural rules to walk awesome legislation.
"That is why I will not tolerate our elected Republican Speaker Mike Johnson serving nan Democrats and nan Biden management and helping them execute their policies that are destroying our country," she wrote. "He is throwing our ain razor-thin mostly into chaos by not serving his ain GOP convention that elected him."
She said Johnson's actions person "angered our Republican guidelines truthful overmuch and fixed them very small logic to ballot for a Republican House majority."
"I will not tolerate this type of Republican 'leadership,'" she warned. "As a matter of fact, if we triumph nan House this fall, it will only beryllium because President Trump is connected nan ballot, not because we person earned it."
But Greene's Republican colleagues person truthful acold shown small appetite for ousting different speaker. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California was removed from nan domiciled successful October successful a historical ballot that engulfed Republicans successful chaos for weeks arsenic they struggled to coalesce astir a caller leader.
Since then, their majority has narrowed, forcing Johnson to move to Democrats to get authorities crossed nan decorativeness statement amid fractures successful his ain party.
Johnson, meanwhile, has tried to downplay nan tension. In a connection past week, nan GOP leader said he respects nan Georgia congresswoman, but they "have honorable differences connected strategy sometimes."
"She will ever person an unfastened doorway to nan Speaker's office," he said.
Greene besides criticized Johnson successful a municipality hallway successful Georgia connected Monday night, noting it's been a "tough year" for Republicans amid "bitter battles pinch 1 another."
"Am I angry? Yes," she told constituents astatine nan municipality hall. "My mobility to you is, are you angry?"
Ellis Kim and Jaala Brown contributed reporting.
- In:
- United States Congress
- Mike Johnson
- Marjorie Taylor Greene
Caitlin Yilek
Caitlin Yilek is simply a authorities newsman astatine cbsnews.com and is based successful Washington, D.C. She antecedently worked for nan Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a personnel of nan 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship pinch nan National Press Foundation.
