Far right House Republicans are furious with Speaker Mike Johnson, and the current budget bill battle has amped up their anger.
Right now the vote to move Johnson’s critical $1.2 trillion spending bill forward, and avert a partial government shutdown at midnight, is under way. And while the legislation has just passed, 286-134, it is not without damage to the Speaker.
Members of the extreme House Freedom Caucus are reportedly “pissed” over the bill, but one House Republican is doing more than venting to reporters.
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) “has filed a motion to vacate” Speaker Mike Johnson, Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman reports, citing “multiple sources on the House floor.”
Sherman adds, “Remember on motion to vacate: MTG has to go to a mic and call up the resolution. Then the leadership can delay the vote for two legislative days. That would put this until after recess, two+ weeks from now.”
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Earlier Friday Greene had threatened to file the motion to vacate the chair, if the spending bill passed. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon asked if she would file the motion to vacate. Greene responded, “We are making that decision on a minute by minute basis today, Steve, and I think you should stay tuned.”
“It was not immediately clear how the House would act on her motion,” NBC News adds, “which requires just a majority vote to remove the speaker. Greene, R-Ga., did not file the motion as privileged — which would force a vote within two legislative days — but instead as regular motion, which could be referred to committee where it would likely languish.”
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who stonewalled Kevin McCarthy’s efforts to be elected Speaker, and was instrumental in removing him months later, warned if the motion to vacate is passed, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could become the next Speaker, despite, or because of, Republicans’ tiny majority and House GOP conference frustration with leadership.
“We’d have Republicans cross over. I worry that we’ve got Republicans who would vote for Hakeem Jeffries at this point. I really do. I take no joy in saying that. But you can only vacate the speaker if you know that the party leadership won’t change hands. I knew that with certainty last time. I don’t know it with certainty this time.”
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