CV NEWS FEED // Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, on Friday filed a motion to vacate the speakership, seeking to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, from his role.
“The ‘Republican-controlled’ House just passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill that doesn’t secure our border, but funds full term abortion and trans ideology on our youth,” Greene wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Friday afternoon. “I filed a Motion to Vacate because the House needs a Speaker who’s able to win for Republicans and our constituents.”
Greene’s stunning move came five-and-a-half months after her House colleague and frequent ally Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL, filed a successful motion to vacate against then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-CA.
McCarthy’s ouster last October resulted in a 22-day-long speakership search which culminated in Johnson becoming the shortest-serving member of Congress elected to the role in 140 years.
Notably, Greene was not one of the eight Republicans who voted with the Democrats to oust McCarthy at the time.
On the steps of the Capitol, CNN Chief Congressional Respondent Manu Raju asked the congresswoman if she “really think[s] that there is someone who could get 218 votes to become Speaker of the House.”
“I certainly hope so,” Greene replied. “It was hard to go the last time but look at where we are now.”
She pointed at the “minibus” spending bill Congress passed earlier that day stating that it “doesn’t secure our border, does nothing to stop the daily invasion.”
“This budget funds full-term abortion,” the lawmaker continued. “It funds DEI. It funds ‘trans’ ideology on our youth as young as 12 years old. We’re already in crisis.”
>> MASSIVE SPENDING BILL WOULD DEFEND OTHER NATIONS’ BORDERS, FUND ‘TRANS’ MOVEMENT <<
“Is this the fight you want to have in an election year?” Raju asked her.
“Absolutely, it’s the fight I want to have in an election year,” Greene said,
because dammit I want to win that House, I want to win the White House, I want to win the Senate, and I want to restore this country again back to greatness, back to safety, back to security for every single American. Because right now, we don’t have it and that’s the fault of Democrats and the Biden administration.
Earlier Friday, Greene slammed the spending bill on the House floor.
“No Republican in the House of Representatives in good conscience can vote for this bill,” she said. “It is a complete departure of [sic] all of our principles especially if you call yourself ‘pro-life.’”
“This bill funds full-term abortion,” she noted. “This is not a Republican bill. It is a Chuck Schumer, Democrat-controlled bill coming from the House majority that is supposed to be controlled by Republicans.”
“This bill will absolutely destroy our majority,” she added later in her speech.
Johnson spokesman Raj Shah defended the speaker shortly after news broke of Greene’s motion.
“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members, but is focused on governing,” he stated. Johnson “will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.”
FOX News reported:
Greene filing a motion to vacate does not necessarily require a vote, as was the case with [McCarthy] being booted. [Gaetz] had filed a “privileged resolution” to oust McCarthy in early October, meaning House leaders were forced to act on it within two legislative days.
Greene’s motion is not privileged, so there is nothing forcing the House to take it up unless she acts. Former Rep. Mark Meadows, [R-NC], made a similar move with ex-Speaker John Boehner, [R-OH], in 2015 though Boehner stepped down before the motion could be acted on.
