Marjorie Taylor Greene has said her Republican party’s house majority “has failed completely” this Congress, upping her attacks against Speaker Mike Johnson.
At a town hall in her Georgia district on Monday, the U.S. representative blamed “a tough year” on the “serious problem” of Johnson, rebuked by her for relying on Democrat support, and allegedly going back on promises and breaking rules.
Greene and her fellow right wing allies have stepped up criticism of Johnson in recent weeks after the Louisiana Republican relied on Democrat support to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill on March 22 in an effort to avert a government shutdown.
“We have had bitter battles with one another,” she said. “But I want you to know anyone who serves in leadership in America should be prepared to battle for what is right…fight it out with one another…find common ground…hold on and do what is right, to do what our voters sent us to do.
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“But that has not happened this congress. As a matter of fact, our Republican house majority has failed completely, and I have had enough of it.”
Greene filed a resolution to remove Johnson from office the same day the spending bill passed the House. The Republican’s right wing House Freedom Caucus, of which Greene is a member, had urged Johnson to hold out for lower spending and to push for policy riders on issues such as abortion, diversity initiatives and the border.
On Tuesday, a letter emerged in which Greene urged her colleagues to back her call, accusing the speaker of overseeing a “complete and total surrender.”
In her speech on Monday, Greene said Johnson made seven promises to GOP representatives before his election on October 25 last year, including transparency and open processes.
“He has broken that tenet, destroyed it,” Green said, pointing to Johnson passing three continuing resolutions—temporary agreements to continue current spending levels—with support of more Democrats than Republicans in his attempts to avoid a government shutdown.
Greene said that Johnson had held talks with Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, but “not with his members.”
“He also broke our rules,” Greene also said of Johnson, pointing to the House being asked to vote on the 1,012-page, $1.2 trillion spending bill, which was released less than 48 hours before a looming government shutdown deadline. The bill passed the House 286-134.
“No-one can read a bill that’s a 1,000 pages in a day. And then he brought it to the floor and passed that bill with all the Democrats voting for it and the majority of the majority against it. That is not what a Republican speaker of the House does.”
Newsweek has asked Greene’s representatives via email who she would prefer in the Speaker’s role.
Johnson’s office has been contacted for comment via email outside of normal business hours.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.