A small however vocal group of MAGA Republicans has turned the U.S. Home right into a circus, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is decided to be the ringmaster.
In a blistering Wednesday information convention on the Capitol steps, Greene vowed to drive a vote on the movement to eject Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as speaker of the Home.
Greene filed the movement to vacate in late March however waited to name for a vote. In Wednesday’s information convention she stated that was a warning Johnson didn’t heed.
“I used to be managed. I used to be accountable,” Greene insisted. “I used to be being acutely aware and caring about my convention and our majority.”
However Greene doesn’t care in regards to the Republican majority. If she did, she would’ve listened to almost each considered one of her Republican colleagues and different high Republican officers who urged her to not take this path. The shortage of get together unity may put the Republican majority in jeopardy.
In accordance with Politico, Greene met nose to nose with Republican Nationwide Committee Chairman Michael Whatley the day earlier than her announcement. The chairman emphasised to the outlet that “nothing is extra vital than get together unity and making certain that we’re targeted on beating Joe Biden and Democrats in November.”
And whereas Greene insists she’s tilting on the “movement to vacate” windmill out of concern for her get together and the MAGA agenda, even former President Donald Trump urged her to again off. In a joint look with Johnson lower than a month in the past, Trump informed the media that “I stand with the speaker” and urged his critics to give attention to “a lot greater issues.”
If that isn’t sufficient, Greene’s movement doesn’t even meet her personal requirements for forcing laws to the ground, as a result of it isn’t supported by a majority of her Republican colleagues.
As just lately as final month, Greene chastised Johnson for violating what’s often called the “Hastert Rule” — a casual coverage that the speaker doesn’t enable laws to the ground till it’s favored by the vast majority of the bulk get together. “A Republican speaker doesn’t do this,” she stated.
In October, Greene warned then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, explicitly urging him to “not violate the Hastert Rule.”
However when the Home gavels in subsequent week, Greene is anticipated to drive a vote on the movement to vacate. It would fail when a majority of Home Republicans and even plenty of Home Democrats vote towards it, as Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries of New York just lately promised.
The Home of Representatives is a 435-seat physique. When considered one of its members goes rogue and calls for their approach or the freeway and works to sabotage efforts towards productiveness and consensus, that member is bucking the way in which the founders designed Congress to work.
Greene’s file signifies a willpower to gradual Congress’ work for the American individuals. Throughout her first time period in 2021, she repeatedly pressured pointless votes and motions to adjourn to delay laws she didn’t like, irritating even her Republican colleagues within the course of.
She’s used each software at her disposal to delay or block bipartisan laws, whether or not for overseas assist or simply funding the federal government. Ways like Greene’s are why the 118th Congress is on monitor to be the least productive in fashionable historical past.
Most Home Republicans, together with Johnson, appear to be waking as much as the truth that with a razor-thin majority, they’ll have to achieve throughout the aisle to allay any of the issues the American individuals face.
In any case, “congress” actually means “the act or motion of coming collectively and assembly.”
Greene’s objections could also be loud and incendiary, but when Republicans see her antics for what they’re and select as a substitute to place partisanship apart for good religion conversations, her governing type can fade into irrelevance and elected officers can lastly get again to work.
For extra thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Alicia Menendez, watch “The Weekend” each Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET on MSNBC.
This text was initially printed on MSNBC.com