House Democrat Leadership was given the go-ahead by speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA ). Only a few weeks later, he will need to cash in on that support.
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA ) and Thomas Massie (R-KY ) made the announcement to a crowded press conference outside the Capitol on Wednesday that they would force a vote on Greene’s motion to veto “next week.”
With the Capitol roof behind them, Greene and Massie accused Johnson of” three disappointments” on state funding, allowing security of American people, and financing Ukraine without first obtaining the border.
The shift has long been expected, but Wednesday’s increase makes clear Johnson’s perilous way toward maintaining his hand — if not in the short term, definitely beyond November.
A brief Johnson statement released shortly after the announcement and a day after Johnson claimed Greene did n’t have a serious lawmaking career, read,” This motion is wrong for the Republican Conference, wrong for the institution, and wrong for the country.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ( R- LA ) ( AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File )
Greene explained what she initially wanted when she filed, and why she put off a vote on her motion for more than six weeks. In our majority, I was being mindful and concerned about my conference. It was a sign that we should support our Republican conference and our agenda while also serving the Democrats. And he did n’t do it”.
After Greene moved her request, Johnson reauthorized the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) after casting the decisive vote to override the warrant requirement, and then folded on funding for Ukraine.
According to Greene,” Mikeem Jeffries and the Democrats are coming out, embracing Mike Johnson with a warm hug and a big wet sloppy kiss,” adding that Democrats endorsed Johnson “because Mike Johnson is giving them everything they want.” Everything. Every single thing”.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hands newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson the gavel at the U. S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 25, 2023. ( TOM BRENNER/AFP via Getty Images )
She alleged that Republicans under Johnson have rejected the demands of the electorate who sent them to Washington. ” We won the house in 2022″, she said,” but what have we done with it?  , What are we giving Republican voters to vote for”?
According to Greene, a continued Johnson-dominated House speakership would not only cost Republicans the House but also threaten the upcoming Trump administration’s agenda, as established Republicans did throughout Trump’s first term.
She recalled that Paul Ryan and the Republican establishment failed to accomplish the goals we had set. After we had stood at a Trump rally after Trump rally and said,” Build the wall,” they passed a$ 1.3 trillion omnibus that did not fund the wall.
During one of the press conference’s most memorable moments, Greene attacked Johnson for embracing the “business model of Washington, DC, to fund forever wars”, claiming the mantra of” the uniparty is’ make Ukraine great again.'”
Pulling out a blue cap with” MUGA” across the front to contrast Trump’s iconic red MAGA hat, she said,” Our economy should not be built on the blood of wars in foreign countries. Our economy should n’t be built on that, though. That’s not how you grow jobs in America”.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene ( R- GA ) holds up a hat that says” MUGA” or” Make Ukraine Great Again” as she speaks at a news conference alongside Rep. Thomas Massie ( R- KY ) at the U. S. Capitol Building on May 1, 2024, in Washington, DC. ( Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images )
Massie refuted what he called” Republican establishment” lies being played into Jeffries ‘ hands and saying that forcing a vote would be futile because Jeffries would” save Johnson’s bacon.”
” We did n’t get elected to make excuses”, he said. ” We did n’t get elected to say we should n’t even try. We were elected to come here, give it our best, and to enforce transparency.
Massie was also unwilling to accept the outcome of the vote’s outcome.
” I’m actually not going to concede that the vote will fail”, he said. Because he feared there were n’t enough Democrats to save Mike Johnson, Hakeem felt the need to step out and get in front of this freight train.
Whatever the outcome, Greene argued that the vote would be a victory for the people of America.
” If this vote fails, and the whole conference … supports the uniparty, let me tell you something, that is not a failure. It’s a win for the American people because that’s a list of names”.
Many Republicans have expressed regret over the idea of a third three-week standoff without a speaker, but Greene insisted the conference has candidates to step up.
” I’m not naming names, but I think we have people that are capable”, she said, suggesting she would support “anybody that’s willing to fight for our agenda, anyone that refuses to share the power with Hakeem Jeffries”.
” That’s something that we’re capable of doing — if we decide to do it”.
The House must respond to a motion within two days before moving the vote. Johnson is anticipated to immediately bring the motion to a vote.
Greene and Massie were unsure of their strike date. Rep. Paul Gosar ( R- AZ ) has also joined their efforts, although the trio expects more to join.
Rep. Paul Gosar ( R- AZ ) ( Bill Clark/Pool via AP )
” If anyone is scared of where they’re going to vote on a motion to table or if it goes further, ten they do n’t belong”, Greene said. They must be prepared to perform the difficult work.
Later Wednesday, Rep. Warren Davidson ( R- OH) told CNN he would vote against tabling Greene’s motion but was undecided on how he would vote on the motion to vacate itself, saying,” I think a privileged question deserves an answer”.
Greene and Massie hope Johnson leaves before the election, with Massie even calling on other House Republican leaders to persuade him to do so for the betterment of the party.
He should take a weekend to consider whether to step down because he is aware of what will happen next week, Massie said.
Bradley Jaye is a Breitbart News correspondent covering Capitol Hill. Follow him on X/Twitter at , @BradleyAJaye.
