Marjorie Taylor Greene says outcome ‘up to Mike Johnson’ after threatening his removal
The Georgia Republican and speaker of the House met twice in 24 hours this week
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Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Tuesday the outcome of her call to oust Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is now in his hands.
This development comes after the speaker, Ms Greene and her ally Representative Thomas Massie met for some 90 minutes on Tuesday afternoon. They previously met on Monday for over an hour.
After the second meeting, Ms Greene told reporters the ball is in Mr Johnson’s court.
“We will see,” she told reporters. “It is up to Mike Johnson.”
The GOP duo want Mr Johnson to block future Ukraine aid. They also want him to defund Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into Donald Trump. Mr Smith is investigating the classified documents case and the 6 January riots. These asks are largely symbolic because the US Senate and President Joe Biden would likely block them.
Before Tuesday’s meeting, Ms Greene told The Independent the speaker has been “working with Democrats the entire time.”
“[The Democrats] are ready to deliver the votes to save his speakership, because they support him because of what he’s delivered for the Democrats and the Biden agenda,” Ms Greene told The Independent.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and Mike Johnson set to meet again
Georgia Republican Marjorie Talyor Greene and Speaker Mike Johnson will meet for a second time this afternoon.
Yesterday, their meeting lasted more than an hour after Ms Greene vowed to force a vote to remove Mr Johnson from his role as Speaker. If Ms Greene triggers a privileged motion, the House will be forced to vote within 48 hours.
Her demands from Mr Johnson include a guarantee he will not pass more aid for Ukraine and a commitment to defunding Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into former president Donald Trump, Punchbowl News reports. Mr Smith’s investigations include the classified documents case and the 6 January 2021 riots probe.
However, these asks are largely symbolic, given the US Senate and President Joe Biden would likely block both of these moves.
ICYMI: GOP Representative Nancy Mace condemns Marjorie Taylor Greene’s efforts to oust Speaker Johnson
Why are Marjorie Taylor Greene and Mike Johnson feuding over Ukraine?
Speaker Mike Johnson has faced criticism from Marjorie Taylor Greene and other far-right Republican representatives after going ahead with a vote to send aid to Ukraine as part of a $95bn foreign aid package that also included funds for Israel and Taiwan.
Now, Ms Greene wants him to commit to not passing any more aid to Ukraine, according to Punchbowl News.
The pair are set to meet for a second time this afternoon.
‘It’s not a negotiation,’ Speaker Johnson says of meeting with MTG
Speaker Mike Johnson declared that his meetings with Marjorie Taylor Greene and her ally Thomas Massie are “not a negotiation.”
“Yesterday, I met at some length with Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie,” Mr Johnson said at a Tuesday morning press conference. “It was a good discussion, it was productive. We’ll visit again today. It’s not a negotiation.”
Mr Johnson, Ms Greene and Mr Massie all met on Monday afternoon for more than an hour. Ms Greene and Mr Massie are threatening to force a vote on Mr Johnson’s removal this week.
“On an hourly basis, I hear suggestions and thoughts from members,” Mr Johnson continued. “My door is open to members. There’s nothing unusual about this...This is not a negotiation at all.”
“I take Marjorie and Thomas’ ideas, and everyone else’s, equally and we assess them on their own value.”
Who is MTG’s ally, Representative Thomas Massie?
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, is joining Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in calling for Speaker Mike Johnson’s removal.
Mr Massie joined the meeting between Ms Greene and the speaker on Monday. He also opposes US aid to Ukraine, one of the chief complaints Ms Greene has against the speaker.
“This week we vote on whether Mike Johnson should remain as Speaker,” Mr Massie wrote on X. “If you’re happy with what he’s done this year and if you’re looking forward to what he will do the remainder of the year, you should join the Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries in supporting Mike Johnson.”
ICYMI: Democrats say they would save Republican speaker amid possible effort to oust him
House Democrats have announced that they will vote to save Speaker Mike Johnson if far-right Republicans choose to trigger a motion to vacate to remove him.
The motion is being pushed by MAGA Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, but it has struggled to garner support even among some of the Republicans who voted to oust Mr Johnson’s predecessor as speaker, Kevin McCarthy.
Mr Johnson has faced criticism from the right flank of his party after going ahead with a vote to send aid to Ukraine as part of a $95bn foreign aid package that also included funds for Israel and Taiwan.
Read more from Gustaf Kilander and Eric Garcia:
Democrats say they would save Republican speaker amid possible effort to oust him
Top Democrats said they would vote to table motion to vacate brought by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene
Donald Trump wants MTG to stand down: report
Donald Trump spoke with Marjorie Taylor Greene over the weekend, asking her to step down in her fight to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, Politico reported, citing three GOP members.
Mr Johnson also confirmed to reporters on Monday afternoon he was in touch with the former president.
Ms Greene is demanding the speaker fight to defund Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into Mr Trump, Punchbowl News reported.
Mr Smith’s investigations into Mr Trump include the classified documents case and the Capitol riots probe.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Mike Johnson set to meet again shortly
Georgia Republican Marjorie Talyor Greene, her ally Representative Thomas Massie and Speaker Mike Johnson will meet for a second time this afternoon around 12:30 pm local time.
Yesterday, their meeting lasted more than an hour after Ms Greene vowed to force a vote to remove Mr Johnson from his role as Speaker. If Ms Greene triggers a privileged motion, the House will be forced to vote within 48 hours.
Her demands from Mr Johnson include a guarantee he will not pass more aid for Ukraine and a commitment to defunding Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into former president Donald Trump, Punchbowl News reports. Mr Smith’s investigations include the classified documents case and the 6 January 2021 riots probe.
However, these asks are largely symbolic, given the US Senate and President Joe Biden would likely block both of these moves.
What is a motion to vacate?
Marjorie Taylor Greene plans to call a motion to vacate against Speaker Mike Johnson. If Ms Greene triggers a “privileged motion” on her motion to vacate, the House will be forced to vote within 48 hours on his removal.
Read more about how a motion to vacate works — and how the process was used to oust the last Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy:
What is a motion to vacate? The process Matt Gaetz triggered to oust Kevin McCarthy
House speaker challenged to no-confidence vote by the rebel congressman representing hard-right fringe of Republican party
Marjorie Taylor Greene enters Mike Johnson’s office
Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie entered Mike Johnson’s office moments ago.
The trio is now conducting their second meeting in less than 24 hours. Yesterday’s talks stretched for more than an hour.
Earlier today, Mr Johnson declared that his meetings with Marjorie Taylor Greene and her ally Thomas Massie are “not a negotiation.”
“Yesterday, I met at some length with Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie,” he said at a Tuesday morning press conference. “It was a good discussion, it was productive. We’ll visit again today. It’s not a negotiation.”
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