(Headline USA) Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said this week that she would continue to try to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., from leadership, arguing Johnson “is a Democrat.”
Greene introduced a motion last month to hold a House vote on whether to vacate Johnson from the speakership over his support for a $1.2 billion spending deal that largely capitulated to Democrat demands. She has not yet moved to force a vote on the motion.
However, Greene made it clear that she will do so if Johnson tries to pass additional Ukraine aid through the House, as he has signaled he would.
“People are fed up with Republicans that say one thing and turn around and literally join the flock and just continue the same old crap everybody’s tired of,” Greene told conservative impresario Steve Bannon on his “War Room” podcast, according to CNN.
“[Johnson] literally turned into Mitch McConnell’s twin and worse,” she continued. “He’s a Democrat. There’s not even any daylight between him and Nancy Pelosi at this point.”
When asked whether ousting Johnson would hurt Republicans’ leadership given the number of GOP members who have decided to retire early or not seek reelection, Greene said she was not worried about that.
“We cannot get anyone more moderate than Mike Johnson,” Greene said. “I would argue Mike Johnson, we can’t get any further Left than Mike Johnson. I think the Democrats might be happier with him than they are with Hakeem Jeffries.”
It does not look like Greene would find much support from the rest of the GOP caucus. Even Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who led the effort last year to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he would not vote in favor of Greene’s motion to vacate.
“If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat,” Gaetz said. “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.”
Johnson’s office dismissed Greene’s threats, saying in a statement that the speaker continues to fight for conservative causes in the House.
“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members, but is focused on governing,” Johnson’s spokesperson said. “He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.”
