'He's Already in the Arms of Democrats': MTG Explains Why She Filed Motion to Vacate Speaker's Chair

Speaking to reporters on the Capitol steps shortly after she made the surprise move to file a motion to vacate the Speaker's chair, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) insisted it wasn't personal, and she believes Mike Johnson (R-LA) is a good man, but also added that "He's already in the arms of Democrats."

The motion, while filed, is not yet "live." She'd need to make a privilege motion to actually bring the matter to a vote. Once a privilege motion is made, the Speaker has to bring the matter up in two working days. However, Congress is getting ready to leave Washington, D.C., for two weeks, so that would delay action on the motion until at least April 9th.

Greene made the move following the House vote passing the $1.2 trillion government funding bill and sending it to the Senate hours before the deadline to avert shutdown.

BREAKING IN WASHINGTON: Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says, "I filed a motion to vacate today... This is basically a warning...to find a new Speaker of the House." WATCH pic.twitter.com/hzflRM0ZOG
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) March 22, 2024

In her remarks, Greene pointed out that Johnson had been admonished all week long, "Do not break the 72-hour rule." She continued:

He heard from all of us...all week long. 'Allow us to introduce amendments. Allow us to do our jobs. Allow us to represent the districts that voted for us and sent us here.'
We want a secure border, and the Senate proposal of legalizing 5,000 people coming across the border every day is not securing the border. And this is giving them every point of leverage we have. Also, forcing Republicans to vote on full-term abortion funding in order to fund our military is a complete betrayal of all of our values, and our voters don't want us to be doing that.

Asked when she plans to call the resolution to the floor, Greene said:

Again, I don't have a timeline. That will be a rolling issue that we'll be judging and making decisions by, but I assure you I'm not the only one. I have support on this from others in my conference. And it's not — I'm not introducing this to throw the House into chaos. Committees will continue doing their work; investigations will continue.
I support my conference. Again, I have paid all of my dues to the NRCC — and then some. I support Republicans holding the majority next conference, but we need a Speaker of the House that knows how to negotiate, knows how to walk in the room, knows how to hold the line, and knows how to defend America first, and the values and the policies that President will bring...

Asked what the process to find a new Speaker would look like, Greene explained, "That process allows everyone to have discussions, and internal meetings, and conversations. And it allows other people to step forward and say they're willing to run for Speaker."

Asked if she had spoken with former President Trump about the matter, she said, "I have not talked to President Trump about this."

Greene was also asked how many Republicans supported her move. She responded:

I won't give you a number, but I have talked to many, who probably won't go public, but silently, they are breathing a sigh of relief. Everyone is — you can look at the numbers on the votes of this. This bill was passed without a majority of Republicans. This is a Democrat budget, and it was passed by Mike Johnson.

Asked if Johnson should step down, Greene said, "That'd be a choice that he would have to make, but we're going to have to find a new Speaker."

One reporter, recounting the chaos that ensued after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted, asked Greene, "How could you possibly even find someone to succeed Mike Johnson, who could get the votes, keep this conference together, and not plunge this chamber into chaos?"

Greene replied:

We're going to have to do it, because the country is in crisis. We have a border invasion that's happening every single day. We have Americans under the age of 30 for the first time — it's showing in all types of polling — have lost hope for their future. The younger generations can't afford to buy a home. Inflation is running rampant. Our country is in crisis, and we need real leaders that know how to fight, that know how to walk in a room, and don't get rolled by the Deep State, and don't get rolled by the Democrats, and don't get rolled into doing whatever it takes to maintain that power and position. We need a Speaker of the House that actually represents the People – this is the People's House — this is not Washington, D.C.'s House, this is the People's House.

Greene reiterated:

We need a new Speaker. This is not personal against Mike Johnson — he's a very good man. And I have respect for him as a person, but he is not doing the job — the proof is in the vote count today. He passed a budget that should have never been brought to the floor, did not represent our conference, and it was passed with the Democrats and without the majority of the majority.

Pressed again about the process and timing, Greene said:

I'm saying that we've started the clock to start the process to elect a new Speaker. And I'm giving my conference time. I'm being respectful to my conference. But many members in my conference agree, even though it's uncomfortable, it's a process none of us wanted to go through, it has to happen.

Asked if she wasn't essentially teaming with Democrats to oust Johnson, just as he teamed with them to pass the funding bill, Greene said, "We have to find a new Speaker of the House. I'm not sure how that vote count would be, and...I've heard a lot of Democrats may support him, so I'm not sure how that works out."

In follow-up, a reporter asked, "If you do that, don't you worry that you're basically pushing them — or any new Speaker — into the arms of Democrats?" Greene's response: "He's already in the arms of Democrats — it's proof in the vote count today."