WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly and swiftly defeated a bid by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, from his leadership role.
Democrats joined Republicans in a 359-43 vote to save Johnson’s speakership, in an effort to avoid a replay of the chaos that took place in October when Republicans removed his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.
Greene’s move demonstrated a rare Republican defiance of presidential candidate Donald Trump, who in a social media post after the voting process on Wednesday, said it was not the right time for Republicans to push out their own speaker.
Johnson, 52, after the vote thanked the House for showing confidence in him and defeating the misguided effort. He hoped that this would be the end of the character assassination in the current Congress.
Several Republicans denounce Greene’s move
Several Republicans denounced Greene’s move, including centrist Representative Marc Molinaro.
Molinaro said Greene is not an individual who knows how to negotiate and she certainly doesn’t seem to have any concern for the stability of the Congress.
Fellow Republican Thomas Massie, also flanked Greene when she made her move against Johnson, criticizing him for making compromises with Democrats, who have majority in the Senate.
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Johnson has angered many hard-liners by enacting bipartisan measures to avert government shutdowns and aid US allies including Ukraine.
Greene while talking to journalists after the vote did not rule out trying to oust Johnson again.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he hoped to see House Republicans turn against party hard-liners. He added the only thing they ask from House Republican colleagues is for traditional Republicans to further isolate the extreme MAGA Republican wing of the GOP.
