Storm Brewing: Greene’s Motion to Oust Speaker Johnson
Unresolved Tension
For nearly six weeks, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s threat to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson has hung over the House like a sword of Damocles. Yet, despite the resolution she introduced, Greene has not triggered a vote, a move that would have forced the House to act immediately or within two legislative days.
Greene’s attempt to unseat Johnson is believed to have little chance of success. Some Republicans support removing Johnson, but Democrats may rally around him, especially given his role in preventing government shutdowns and passing the foreign aid package.
If Democrats choose not to vote, they would effectively bolster Johnson’s position by changing the House math necessary to remove the Speaker.
The House has been operating like a parliament, with Johnson as its Prime Minister. Greene’s resolution, if triggered, could plunge the House into chaos, paralyzing it from taking further legislative action. An acting Speaker would take over temporarily, but their powers would be severely limited.
If Greene’s resolution is triggered, the first vote will be on a motion to table it, essentially killing it. If the motion fails, a direct vote on removing Johnson will follow. A successful vote would trigger a search for a new Speaker, potentially resulting in a stalemate similar to the one that recently paralyzed the House for 22 days.
The House’s current breakdown is:
- 429 members
- 217 Republicans
- 212 Democrats
- Six vacancies
To become Speaker, a candidate must receive a majority of all votes cast for named candidates. The Speaker does not need to be a member of the House.
The outcome of Greene’s resolution remains uncertain. Johnson’s supporters hope to bury it quickly, while Greene’s allies see it as a chance to embarrass the Speaker and weaken his grip on power. Only time will tell the ultimate fate of this brewing political storm.
Data sourced from: foxnews.com
