House squashes Marjorie Taylor Greene's motion to oust Speaker Johnson

The House of Representatives squashed an effort by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to force a House-wide on Speaker Mike Johnson's ouster.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., appeared to catch most Congressional watchers by surprise when she moved to force a vote on her motion to vacate the chair, the procedural move which would allow for the vote. She noticed her resolution as "privileged," meaning House leaders had two legislative days to take it up.

But her bluff was called immediately when House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., rose to call for a vote on tabling Greene's motion – which effectively kills it before the vote on Johnson's ouster itself.

Johnson got overwhelming Democratic and Republican support for the table vote, which passed 359 to 43, averting a vote on her motion. Just 11 Republicans voted against tabling the measure, along with 32 Democrats.

On the Republican side, Johnson won the support of 196 members, while 163 Democrats also voted to shield him.

The House GOP side of the chamber erupted in cheers when her move was squashed.

Greene, R-Ga., has been threatening to force a vote on taking Johnson's gavel since late March in protest of his handling of government funding and foreign aid. .

Her resolution, known as a motion to vacate the chair, will now have to be voted on or tabled after Greene noticed it as "privileged" on Wednesday night – meaning House leaders have two legislative days to take it up.

The Republican side of the House chamber erupted in boos as Greene listed off her gripes against Johnson, prompting Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., to shout, "The House is not in order – and is about to fall into chaos," prompting some sparse laughs from their side of the chamber.

The vote is expected to be close but ultimately fail, with both Republicans and Democrats voicing opposition to a move that would effectively paralyze Congress until a new speaker is found.

The vote is a culmination of six months' worth of frustration from the most right-wing conservatives in Johnson's conference, who have felt sidelined by him on nearly all critical legislation including foreign aid and government funding, during which they demanded he leverage a government shutdown to force the Democrats who controlled the Senate and White House to pass Republican policies.... (Read more)

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