Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) failed to concede to Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) after a two-hour meeting Monday in which the duo continued pressing for Johnson to resign and end his coalition government with Democrats.
Greene told reporters after the meeting that she and Massie “had a very long discussion with Speaker Johnson. We’ll be meeting with him again tomorrow based on the discussion and then I’ll have more information.”
The two conservative lawmakers have insisted that Johnson is compromised and will not be Speaker next Congress. They called for him to step down so Republicans can begin moving forward, arguing Johnson’s unofficial lame duck status will hurt Republicans as they fundraise and campaign for November’s elections.
“I have been patient, I have been diligent. I have been steady. And I’ve been focused on the facts,” Greene said. “And none of that has changed.”
The meeting came one day after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) bragged on CBS about controlling the House floor agenda — a characterization many conservatives agree with.
“Even though we’re in the minority, we effectively have been governing as if we were in the majority because we continue to provide a majority of the votes necessary to get things done,” he said. “Those are just the facts.”
Conservatives insist Johnson has capitulated to Democrats repeatedly, essentially forming a coalition government with Democrats by surrendering leverage on fighting President Joe Biden’s agenda and securing the border.
In what Massie has labeled Johnson’s “three betrayals,” Johnson ended the work to pass each of the 12 individual appropriations bills and passed a two-part omnibus bill overwhelmingly supported by Democrats, rammed through a reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) after casting the deciding vote to kill a warrant requirement for spying on Americans, and carried out a scheme to unlock tens of billions in Ukraine aid despite promising not to do so without addressing the border crisis.
Johnson said after the meeting that he “understand[s] the frustration. I share it. I would really like to advance much more of our conservative policy on a daily basis here. But, the reality is we are working with the smallest majority in U.S. history with a one vote margin.”
He said his goal is to “keep advancing the ball, to get the next first down, to put points on the board and then, and get to November.”
Greene and Massie did not share what time they would meet with Johnson on Tuesday morning, but Greene could call for a vote on her motion at any time.
The House would then have two legislative days to hold a vote, although Johnson is expected to hold a vote to table the motion before the two legislative days expire, perhaps immediately after Greene makes her move.
Jeffries and his Democrat leadership have promised to save Johnson by voting to table the motion to vacate.
