During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, strongly criticized Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s foolish attempt to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. Lawler labeled Greene’s actions as “idiotic.”
Georgia Republican Greene has introduced a motion to vacate Johnson as speaker. She criticized his $1.2 trillion spending bill that funded agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until September 30.
On March 22, the House approved the spending bill in a 286-134 vote to prevent a partial government shutdown. Johnson sought support from House Democrats, as 112 Republicans, including Greene, opposed the package. The Senate passed the bill, and President Joe Biden signed it into law the following day.
Congress will not consider Greene’s motion to vacate as privileged until after the Easter recess, as she has not filed it yet.
During an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday, Lawler was asked about Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s intentions to initiate a motion to remove Mike Johnson from his position as speaker.
When asked about her proposed legislation, Lawler responded, “I can’t speak for her, but she has introduced it. However, she has not yet made it privileged. I must say that the day she introduced it, I found it to be idiotic and believe that it will not actually help advance the cause she believes in.”
According to Lawler, Greene’s motion to vacate “undermines our House Republican majority.”
House Republicans are set to have a slim majority with just one vote, following the resignations of three GOP members. Kevin McCarthy from California, Bill Johnson from Ohio, and Ken Buck from Colorado have all stepped down from their positions. Additionally, Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin has announced his retirement, which will take effect next month.
In February, the Democrats made a gain in the House when Representative George Santos, a New York Republican, was expelled from Congress and Tom Suozzi was voted in during a special election. With Gallagher’s departure, the House will have 217 Republicans and 213 Democrats. A majority is reached with a total of 216 votes if all members are present and voting.
According to Lawler, voters elected a House Republican majority with the intention of providing a check and balance on the Biden administration. Their goal was to halt the reckless and uncontrolled spending that has resulted in a $5 trillion increase in just two years and record-breaking inflation.
“They were displeased with the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and the flawed foreign policy choices made by the Biden administration regarding Iran. Internal discord does not contribute to the progress of these crucial issues or policy stances. Instead, it weakens our majority.”
During an interview with Kristen Welker on Meet the Press, Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, expressed his concerns about a few individuals who he believes are not working as a team. He mentioned that these individuals seem to prioritize personal attention and limelight over collaboration. Bacon further added that it is highly probable that a standoff with the speaker may occur after the Ukraine bill.
Biden and Congress have been advocating for more assistance to Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia for several months. In February, the Senate approved a foreign funding package of $95.34 billion, with $61 billion allocated for Ukraine. However, the House has not yet taken up the bill, as some Republicans in the chamber have expressed concerns about providing further aid to the war-torn country.
During an interview on CBS News’ Face the Nation, House Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner, a Republican from Ohio, expressed his belief that voting on additional aid to Ukraine would be a top priority upon Congress’ return. Turner stated, “The speaker has made very clear statements that when we get back, it’s the next top agenda. I believe this is going to have overwhelming support in Congress and we’ll put a bill on the president’s desk.”
The House has yet to determine which bill they will vote on for Ukraine funding, leaving the matter uncertain.
O’Keefe inquired Turner about the speaker’s willingness to jeopardize his position in order to accomplish this task, as he is facing opposition from his fellow Republicans.
“The House Republican lamented the ongoing obstructionist behavior of the chaos caucus in Congress. He expressed frustration that they consistently try to impede progress without offering any alternative plan.”
Members of the House Freedom Caucus, from which Greene was expelled in 2023, have garnered a reputation for disrupting the House Republican majority as they endeavor to advance their own far-right agenda. While Turner did not explicitly mention them by name, their actions were implicitly referenced.