The Daily Populous Friday May 3rd, 2024 night edition
Authored by newsweek.com and submitted by BelleAriel

Republican lawmakers are continuing to criticize Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene after she warned she will soon follow through on her threat to try and oust House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Speaking to CNN's Manu Raju at the Capitol, multiple GOP House members hit out against Greene's plans to introduce a motion to vacate against Johnson for pushing a number of foreign aid bills through the lower chamber, including a $61 billion package to Ukraine, with Nebraska Rep. Dan Bacon saying "98 percent of us" consider Greene's move "disgusting."

On Wednesday, Greene said she will force a vote on whether Johnson should be removed from his role as House Speaker next week. However, due to the GOP's one-seat majority, any motion to vacate would need the full support of House Republicans and the help of Democrats to succeed. Democrat House leaders have already said they will vote down any attempt to remove Johnson as Speaker to "push back against MAGA extremism" and prevent a repeat of the weeks of chaos that engulfed the lower chamber after Kevin McCarthy was ousted last October.

Johnson has suggested Greene is not "proving to be" a serious lawmaker for threatening to call a motion to vacate despite not having the votes on either side. A number of other Republican figures are also lashing out at Greene for her stunt, which is seemingly doomed to fail.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on May 01, 2024 in Washington, DC. House GOP members have condoned Greene after announcing she would move forward... Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on May 01, 2024 in Washington, DC. House GOP members have condoned Greene after announcing she would move forward with her motion to vacate against Speaker Mike Johnson. More Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

"I think this is all about wanting more attention and not producing actual results," New York Rep. Marc Molinaro told CNN.

Tennessee's Andy Ogles described Greene's threat as a "distraction" and a "mistake." Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Ordern added: "We have to understand this is not a junior high school, reality television show."

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the move to vacate McCarthy, said he will not support Greene's attempt to remove Johnson as it may damage the GOP's reputation with voters.

"I think in an election year right now, it probably doesn't portend it too well," Gaetz said.

Greene previously said that she doesn't "give a rat's a**" what her colleagues think about her hopes to remove Johnson.

"I voted for Mike Johnson because his voting record before he became speaker was conservative. But once he became speaker, he has become a man that none of us recognize," Greene said.

"I can't wait to see Democrats go out and support a Republican Speaker and have to go home to their primaries and have to run for Congress again, having supported a Republican speaker—a Christian conservative. I think that will play well."

Greene's office has been contacted for further comment via email.

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and with Arizona's Paul Gosar are the only other GOP House members to come out and say they would support a motion to vacate against Johnson.

"Members have a weekend to decide whether to embrace the Uniparty that became obvious in the U.S. House when [House Democratic Leader] Hakeem Jeffries and the entire Democrat leadership team announced they want to keep Mike Johnson," Massie posted on X, formerly Twitter.

In a joint statement, Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar explained why they will not support any motion to vacate out forward by Greene.

"From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have put people over politics and found bipartisan common ground with traditional Republicans in order to deliver real results," the Democrats said.

"At the same time, House Democrats have aggressively pushed back against MAGA extremism.

"We will continue to do just that. At this moment, upon completion of our national security work, the time has come to turn the page on this chapter of Pro-Putin Republican obstruction."

Sweaty-Willingness27 on May 2nd, 2024 at 11:41 UTC »

She attempted to add amendments to the recent funding bill for Ukraine that require anyone voting for it to join the Ukranian Army and another that orders POTUS to withdraw from NATO.

Why would anyone take her seriously?

theombudsmen on May 2nd, 2024 at 11:29 UTC »

"It was OK the first 6 years, but now she's gone too far"

circa285 on May 2nd, 2024 at 11:21 UTC »

MTG is a true believer and as such she was a useful idiot for the party. Now that she’s slipped her leash, she’s an actual problem for Republicans because she is a zealot who will stop at nothing to get what she wants no matter who it damages along the way.