WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has filed a motion to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from power over his endorsement of a bipartisan spending deal that’s expected to pass through Congress this week.
“Everyone has lost complete confidence in Speaker Mike Johnson,” Greene told NewsNation on Friday.
Greene filed a motion to vacate the chair, the same procedural move that led to the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in October, according to a source familiar with the situation.
She did so as the House voted to pass the spending bill to prevent a partial shutdown of the government this weekend. The House later passed the measure in a bipartisan vote.
An official said the motion would not be considered until after the recess and was not privileged.
Greene, after the House approved the spending bill, also said it would not receive a vote until she called it to the floor.
“We need a speaker going forward that can lead our country in this time of chaos, where our border is being invaded, crime is out of control and many Americans have lost hope for the future,” Greene said.
A spokesman for the speaker said he was focused on the spending package and other work.
“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members, but is focused on governing. He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority,” said Johnson spokesman Raj Shah.
Appearing on Steve Bannon’s podcast Friday morning, Greene accused Johnson of giving too much away to President Biden and Democrats in the course of the government funding negotiations. She suggested she was seriously weighing a move to file a motion to vacate the Speakership.
“We are making that decision on a minute-by-minute basis today, Steve, and I think you can stay tuned,” she told Bannon.
Pressed by Bannon if she’ll lead the charge in an effort to oust Johnson, Greene again suggested a motion to vacate might be imminent.
“We are going to be making decisions on a minute-by-minute basis today, and I urge you to watch and see what happens,” she said.
The House approved the $1.2 trillion government funding package, known as a minibus, amid the drama of Green’s actions.
The measure combines the final six appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024. Johnson had endorsed the package earlier in the week after a marathon round of negotiations between congressional leaders in Congress and the White House.
Greene said Johnson’s eagerness to work with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was another sticking point.
“It’s time for us to find a Republican Speaker of the House that doesn’t get rolled in meetings, doesn’t hand over the speakership to Chuck Schumer and doesn’t pass funding bills that the White House can’t wait to sign,” Greene told NewsNation.
Johnson has claimed a number of victories for conservatives in the package, while acknowledging that the nature of the divided powers in Washington meant Republicans were not able to secure everything they wanted.
That argument has fallen short with House conservatives, who are accusing the Speaker of giving away the store to the Democrats, with too little to show for his own party.
“This is the worst possible scenario for Republicans, and it signals to the entire country that Republicans are not in control of the House of Representatives, the Democrats are. And that instead of Mike Johnson and Republicans being in control of the Speaker, Chuck Schumer is in control,” Greene told Bannon.
It’s unclear if Grene would find enough support to remove Johnson from power through a motion to vacate. That’s because a number of Democrats — who had voted unanimously in support of McCarthy’s removal — say they would help to rescue Johnson if he continues to cut bipartisan deals with Biden on issues like government funding and Ukraine aid.
Johnson has refused to consider a Senate-passed foreign aid package, which includes billions of dollars for Ukraine, but is vowing to work on a House version of the legislation when Congress returns to Washington in the middle of next month after a long holiday recess.
Updated at 12 p.m.