Mike Johnson lives to see another day as speaker as Marjorie Taylor Greene pushes off
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has put off her motion to oust Mike Johnson from the speakership another day after the political foes met for over two hours on Monday.
Walking out of the lengthy Capitol Hill meeting, the Georgia Republican said she and fellow Johnson opponent Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., agreed to meet with Johnson again on Tuesday morning.
She said she would provide more information on her plans after that meeting.
Asked if she was ‘backing off’ the motion to vacate threat, Greene said: ‘Let me tell you, I have been patient. I have been diligent, I have been steady … none of that has changed. I just had a long discussion with the speaker in his office about ways to move forward for a Republican controlled House of Representatives.’
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., flanked by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., after their meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson
Asked if she was ‘backing off’ the motion to vacate threat, Greene said: ‘Let me tell you, I have been patient. I have been diligent, I have been steady … none of that has changed’
It’s not clear what Johnson could have offered Greene to pull back on her threats. Just days ago she was dead-set on making her motion to vacate ‘privileged’ this week – a move that would force a House vote on whether or not to keep Johnson as speaker within two legislative days.
Johnson gave his own brief update to reporters after the meeting, which he called ‘constructive.’
‘We have discussed some ideas and we’re going to meet again tomorrow.’
‘I’ve said this repeatedly that I understand their frustration, I share it. I would really like to advance much more of our conservative policy on a daily basis here but the reality is we are working with the smallest majority in US history with a one-vote margin.’
An optimistic Johnson added: ‘We’re going to keep this team together and keep working for the American people.’
It’s not clear what Johnson could have offered Greene to pull back on her threats
Johnson gave his own brief update to reporters after the meeting, which he called ‘constructive.’ ‘We have discussed some ideas and we’re going to meet again tomorrow’
Greene first threatened to put Johnson’s job on the chopping block in March when he ushered through a sprawling $95 billion foreign aid package – including nearly $61 billion for Ukraine as it fights Russia.
Last week Greene was dead-set on filing her motion to vacate this week.
‘Next week I am going to be calling this motion to vacate,’ Greene announced Wednesday morning.
‘Absolutely calling it. I can’t wait to see Democrats go out and support a Republican speaker and have to go home to their primaries,’ she taunted one day after Democrats said they would vote down Green’s motion to oust the speaker, deflating her attempt.
‘And have to run for Congress again, having supported a Republican speaker, a Christian conservative, I think that’ll play well. I’m excited about it.’
She even brought props to her news conference – a MUGA hat, or Make Ukraine Great Again to needle Johnson for supporting Ukraine aid, and a shot of the speaker and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries both holding on to the gavel.
And last Tuesday night Johnson hit back at Greene, telling NewsNation she is ‘not proving to be’ a serious lawmaker.
He once again brushed off her threat.
‘I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about her,’ the speaker said. ‘I got to do my job, and we do the right thing, and we let the chips fall where they may. That is my philosophy. That is how we are governing.’
Massie, R-Ky., meanwhile, insisted Greene is the ‘most serious representative up here.’
While many fellow Republicans have insisted throwing the House back into chaos in an election year could have political consequences, Greene claimed it would be Johnson who loses House Republicans the majority.
‘We’re not going to have a House majority [next year] if we keep Mike Johnson,’ she said.
Massie’s attacks also turned personal. ‘Let’s be honest, we have Mike Johnson because nobody hated Mike Johnson.’
‘There was nothing in his prior life, political or private, that qualified him for this job,’ he went on.
Johnson, the former conference vice-chair, was the fifth speaker-designate that Republicans turned to to fill the role after no one else could get the majority of House votes.
‘A lot of people have ideas about why he’s betrayed as I think it’s just pretty simple: He’s over his head.’
Massie called Johnson a ‘lost ball in tall weeds’ and insisted he is ‘unequipped to negotiate with Chuck Schumer.’