CNN
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Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene bluntly warned Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday that moving forward with an aid package for Ukraine would be one of the “worst things he could do” and she said “We are not backing down at all,” he said in response to the threat. We will push for a House vote calling for his resignation.
In a phone interview with CNN, the Georgia firebrand said Republican voters are “furious” over Johnson's recent deal to keep the government open and provide additional funding for the war against Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had indicated he would not accept any package that included this. Russia, even if border security provisions are included.
The lawmaker, who is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Johnson on Friday, warned against moving the Ukraine bill, which has heavy support from Democrats, through the House of Commons in a process known as “suspension of rules.” It's an approach Johnson has repeatedly used to pass legislation under difficult circumstances. Division within the Republican Party.
“I'm telling you, if he were to force another stalled vote without an amendment, give money to Ukraine, and people find out how angry voters are about that, it's going to be even bigger.” It’s going to move,” Green said.
Asked whether moving the Ukraine aid package meant that it would lead to a vote for him to step down, Greene added: Or a trigger. And I think that's exactly where I'm at right now. But what I'm saying now is that funding Ukraine is probably one of the worst things he could do. ”
Greene's comments come at a time when governing in Johnson's razor-thin Republican majority has sometimes proven nearly impossible, with a single lawmaker able to force a vote to oust him. This highlights the strength of individual legislators.
And that's because Ukraine is seeking U.S. aid, and Johnson is sidelining a bipartisan Senate version while trying to finalize a new House version amid deep divisions within the Republican Party on the issue. It comes at a time of uncertainty.
Perhaps Mr. Johnson could receive support from Democrats who are seeking Ukraine aid in exchange for helping the Louisiana Republican keep his job. But if he pursues a more conservative Ukraine policy to win support from House Republicans, like Greene, who doesn't want a penny spent on supporting the United States in its war with Russian President Vladimir Putin, It risks angering hardliners and losing support among Democrats.
“I respect Marjorie,” Johnson told CNN. “She always has an open door to the Speaker's Office. We sometimes have honest disagreements about strategy, but we're just like the same conservative.” We share the same beliefs.”
But Johnson also defended his response on government funding, warning that triggering a vote over the gavel was not in House Republicans' best interests. “A government shutdown is not good for our party, it will not help our mission to increase our majority and save our republic, and there will be no chance of another secession motion,” he said.
Greene said in an interview that she was undeterred by warnings from her Republican colleagues that a vote to expel Johnson could result in House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries being elected speaker. , said it was a “stupid lie” because he didn't think any Republicans would help elect a Democrat. In the post. He also revealed other members of Congress are on the target list, including hardline Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia. He has signaled he plans to campaign against him in the primary later this month, and has even sparred with Republican hardliners.
But when asked which Republicans supported how much, Greene predicted her support would “continue to grow” and “gain momentum” as she targeted Johnson. He declined to comment.
Greene is scheduled to speak with Johnson on Friday, but she also did not say whether she had spoken to former President Donald Trump about the matter. (She said her speaker tried to call her last Thursday and left a voicemail, but the two have not yet connected outside of her text messages.)
But Mr Green attacked the idea that removing Mr Johnson could lead to a more moderate speaker, despite warnings from conservative members of the council.
“You can't get a better moderate than Mike Johnson,” Greene said. “I would argue that Mike Johnson, you can't go further to the left than Mike Johnson. I think the Democratic Party might be happier with him than they were with Hakeem Jeffries.”
When Johnson was elected speaker, he was supported by hardline conservatives, given that his ideology is further to the right than former speaker Kevin McCarthy. But Mr. Johnson's elevation to the House of Representatives meant he had to work with Democrats, including in the Senate and the White House, to pass government funding legislation and authorize national security programs, an effort that drew ire from the right. ing.
Just as Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz did in his unprecedented effort to remove Mr. McCarthy from office last fall, a single lawmaker can disrupt the House and call a vote to oust the sitting speaker, with the House waiting for three weeks. There will be paralysis and eventually an election will be held. Mr. Johnson was the speaker. Mr. Gaetz currently supports Mr. Johnson and opposes Mr. Greene's efforts.
After Johnson struck a deal with Democrats to keep the government running, Greene announced she had drafted a resolution to oust Johnson from the speakership. But she has not yet said when she would request such a vote. A vote can be forced within two legislative days of expressing intent on the floor. The lawmaker did not specify his plans, but the move could come next week when the House returns from its two-week Easter recess.
Green continued to be harshly critical in interviews. Johnson highlighted the provisions of the final government funding bill and the fact that the $1.2 trillion bill was tabled less than 36 hours after it was introduced, giving lawmakers three days to consider the bill. It criticized Republicans for violating their promise to give them more time. He said voters were “outraged that the so-called Christian conservative Republican speaker of the House did this to them.”
Comparing Johnson to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Greene said, “They just say one word and flip out and literally join the pack and keep doing the same old crap that everyone's tired of. “People are fed up with the Republican Party.” “And here, Mike Johnson, he's literally become Mitch McConnell's twin, or worse. He's a Democrat.”
Greene added, “At this point, there's not even a chance of seeing the light of day between him and Nancy Pelosi.”
On the Ukraine issue, Prime Minister Johnson is working behind the scenes to finalize a new House of Commons bill. These include giving the U.S. the power to seize and transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, adding new restrictions to U.S. borders, and converting aid to Ukraine into loans to Ukraine. . Country.
And despite President Trump's support for turning Ukraine aid into loans, Greene said, “The loan proposal is the biggest pile of steaming bullshit.” …That's very insulting to the American people. ”
“National security begins at our southern border. Funding for the President's additional request will support the American people and ultimately provide support to our southern border,” Johnson said in a statement to CNN, referring to the possibility of aid to Ukraine. It should presuppose a meaningful policy to deal with aggression.”
In the interview, Greene also took aim at Goode, a fellow Republican hardliner. Good is a Virginia Republican who is fighting to defend his seat in the June primary. Greene is supporting Goode's Republican opponent, John McGuire, in the race.
Last week, Goode attacked Greene, telling CNN: And she's a one-man show, she's grandstanding, she wants attention. ”
Greene responded Wednesday by saying she would campaign in Goode's district after he attacked her for supporting Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. president He said he supported the Florida governor because Trump faces criminal charges, but backed Trump after DeSantis withdrew from the race. She expressed her concerns about Good directly to President Trump, she said.
“I can't even come up with another example of such a conspiracy. I can't even think of one,” Green said. “He's technically only supporting Donald Trump because he has to. He's such a liar.”
Asked about Goode's assertion that his criticisms don't matter to voters, Greene said she plans to campaign with McGuire “in the near future.” And she added: “Let's see what his voters actually think about what I have to say. And I'm confident that I'll sway towards supporting John McGuire in that race.” ”
CNN's Morgan Rimmer contributed.