The House quickly tabled Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s advancement to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday evening.
The chamber voted to strike down Greene’s motion in a 359-43 vote, with just 10 Republicans backing the Georgia representative, NBC News reported. Along with the majority of Republicans, 163 Democrats voted to save Johnson, with seven voting “present.”
Greene’s motion alleged how Johnson failed to live up to his promises to advance the Republican Conference’s agenda by instead choosing to “ally himself with Democrats.”
“Whereas, actions are the only thing that matter, and words are meaningless without following through on them. By passing the Democrats’ agenda and handcuffing Republicans’ ability to influence legislation, our elected Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has aided and abetted the Democrats and the Biden administration in destroying our country,” the motion states.
“Whereas, removing this Uniparty Speaker will not give the Speaker’s gavel to the Democrats, which would only happen if Republicans actually vote for Hakeem Jeffries,” the motion continues. “In fact, Minority Leader Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and other high-ranking Democrats have publicly stated they will save Mike Johnson from a vote to vacate him. In a recent interview, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Even though we’re in the minority… We effectively have been governing as if we were in the majority.”
Greene initially filed a motion in late March after Johnson brought the $1.2 trillion spending bill to the floor, which the chamber did not take up for a vote. The Georgia representative announced she would file a motion in the coming week during a May 1 press conference.
🚨 I just called up my Motion to Vacate Nancy Pelosi-endorsed Uniparty Speaker Mike Johnson.
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/LaTu76QSLR
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 8, 2024
Here is the full text of @repmtg’s motion to vacate the office of Speaker of the House. I support the motion to remove the Uniparty speaker.
H. RES. __
Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 8, 2024…— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) May 8, 2024
Republicans and congressional Democrats have largely disapproved of Greene’s motion, indicating they would stand by Johnson. Members of the chamber booed Greene as she made her announcement. Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie supported the motion. (RELATED: Johnson Says He Respects ‘Message’ Sent By MTG’s Motion, Assures Dems Won’t Gain Control Of The House)
Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace responded to the news with a thumbs down emoji, after previously expressing opposition to Greene’s proposed motion.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) May 8, 2024
“Moscow Marjorie has lost her mind — clearly the result of a space laser,” Republican New York Rep. Mike Lawler said. “This temper tantrum will do nothing to advance the conservative movement and in fact will continue to undermine our House Republican Majority. “I will continue to push back against this lunacy and be a voice of sanity in a sea of chaos.”
MTG’s latest stunt is ridiculous. My full statement. pic.twitter.com/S9xN3SwmfF
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) May 8, 2024
Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who successfully filed the motion to vacate former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, said he voted to table the motion to protect the Republican majority.
“I voted to table the motion for one principal reason – with a two seat majority in an election year I believe 2-3 Republicans could be susceptible to bribes to resign or even vote for a Democrat. Democrats would then instantly deem Trump an “insurrectionist” to bar him from the ballot. House Republicans must do better. We must be led better. We must return Trump to the White House,” Gaetz said.
.@mtgreenee made a truthful, compelling case against Mike Johnson.
She should be commended for this work.
I voted to table the motion for one principal reason – with a two seat majority in an election year I believe 2-3 Republicans could be susceptible to bribes to resign or…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) May 8, 2024
She accused Johnson, who she referred to as a “Uniparty Speaker,” of supporting the funding of liberal policies rather than focusing on the American people.
“Whereas, Speaker Johnson supported fully funding abortion, the trans agenda, the climate agenda, foreign wars, and Biden’s border crisis, rather than ‘ensuring liberty, opportunity, and security for all Americans,'” the resolution states.
The Georgia representative further criticized Johnson for allegedly failing to “protect the Republican majority” following the ousting of embattled former New York Rep. George Santos, who Congress voted to expel over a damning House ethics report and criminal charges. She further accused the speaker of allowing President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice to weaponize itself against former President Donald Trump and pro-life activists.
Johnson released a statement last week stating the future motion is “wrong for the Republican Conference, wrong for the institution, and wrong for the country.” The Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Whatley reportedly attempted to dissuade Greene from filing the motion, according to Politico.
House Democratic leadership vowed to help save Johnson in return for helping advance the $95.3 billion foreign aid package, which consisted of $60.8 billion in aid for Ukraine, $15 billion in military aid to Israel with an additional $9 billion for humanitarian aid, $8 billion for Taiwan.
While members of his party criticized the package’s lack of border funding, Johnson defended his push to pass the foreign aid package, saying he fulfilled his job by working across the aisle.
“I have to do my job. We have to do what we believe to be the right thing. What the country needs right now is a functioning Congress. They need a Congress that works well, works together and does not hamper its own ability to solve these problems,” said Johnson. “We saw what happened with the motion to vacate the last time — Congress was closed for three weeks. No one can afford for that to happen.”
“We need people who are [sic] serious about the job here, to continue to do that job and get it done. So, you know, I have to [sic] do what I believe is right every day and let the chips fall where they may. You’ve heard me say that many times, and will continue to,” Johnson added.
Johnson won the speakership on the first vote on October 25, 2023, after several failed attempts to elect a speaker following McCarthy’s ousting.
