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Administrator- Joined
- May 11, 2013
- Posts
- 24,887
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- 13,613
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- Morganton, N.C.
- Website
- conversations-ii.freeforums.net
(The Guardian) Talks could end impasse over vote for Johnson's removal
A lunchtime summit Tuesday could finally offer clarity on whether Marjorie Taylor Greene still intends to press ahead with her drive to oust the House speaker, Mike Johnson, or accept a face-saving alternative that would give the impression of a win.
The extremist Georgia congresswoman is scheduled to meet Johnson for a second successive day to discuss her promise to call a motion to vacate, the procedure that could lead to a vote for his removal, over his collusion with Democrats to pass US funding for Ukraine.
Politico reported this morning that Monday’s talks, also attended by Greene’s new ally, the Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie, were cordial, if not entirely fruitful. The outlet said Johnson told reporters afterwards that they had made a promise to “keep this team together”. But it’s not platitudes Greene is seeking, it’s concessions. Politico listed four demands of the Greene-Massie alliance, most prominently a pledge from Johnson there will be no more US aid for Ukraine as it battles a Russian invasion.
They also want implementation of the so-called Hastert rule (named for former speaker Dennis Hastert), in which legislation is only brought for a floor vote if a majority of Republicans support it; defunding of special counsel investigations into former president Donald Trump; and adoption of the “Massie rule” that automatically cuts government funding when no agreement is reached by a certain deadline.
With substantial Ukraine funding already passed, and likely to last until beyond November’s election, that demand might not be the hurdle it seems. And Johnson will be keen to avoid the embarrassment of having to rely on Democratic support in any vote to remove him.
He certainly has nothing to lose by extending the talks today, and several political analysts see the frozen Greene-Johnson relationship beginning to thaw.
A lunchtime summit Tuesday could finally offer clarity on whether Marjorie Taylor Greene still intends to press ahead with her drive to oust the House speaker, Mike Johnson, or accept a face-saving alternative that would give the impression of a win.
The extremist Georgia congresswoman is scheduled to meet Johnson for a second successive day to discuss her promise to call a motion to vacate, the procedure that could lead to a vote for his removal, over his collusion with Democrats to pass US funding for Ukraine.
Politico reported this morning that Monday’s talks, also attended by Greene’s new ally, the Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie, were cordial, if not entirely fruitful. The outlet said Johnson told reporters afterwards that they had made a promise to “keep this team together”. But it’s not platitudes Greene is seeking, it’s concessions. Politico listed four demands of the Greene-Massie alliance, most prominently a pledge from Johnson there will be no more US aid for Ukraine as it battles a Russian invasion.
They also want implementation of the so-called Hastert rule (named for former speaker Dennis Hastert), in which legislation is only brought for a floor vote if a majority of Republicans support it; defunding of special counsel investigations into former president Donald Trump; and adoption of the “Massie rule” that automatically cuts government funding when no agreement is reached by a certain deadline.
With substantial Ukraine funding already passed, and likely to last until beyond November’s election, that demand might not be the hurdle it seems. And Johnson will be keen to avoid the embarrassment of having to rely on Democratic support in any vote to remove him.
He certainly has nothing to lose by extending the talks today, and several political analysts see the frozen Greene-Johnson relationship beginning to thaw.
