Republican Rep. Lawler Rejects Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘Idiotic’ Attempt to Replace House Speaker
By Jake Beardslee ·
April 1, 2024
Tensions within the Republican Party have intensified as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has introduced a motion to remove Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) from the position of House Speaker. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
Greene's move comes after she criticized Johnson's $1.2 trillion spending bill that funded key federal agencies through September 30. Office of Speaker Mike Johnson/Wikimedia
The spending package, which was approved by the House in a 286-134 vote and later signed by President Joe Biden, had to rely on Democratic support as 112 Republicans, including Greene, voted against it. Adam Schultz/Wikimedia
In an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) condemned Greene's attempt as "idiotic." United States Congress/Wikimedia
Lawler stated, "It's idiotic and it's not going to actually help advance the cause that she believes in." He added, "It undermines our House Republican majority." New York State Young Republicans/Wikimedia
Lawler argued that voters elected a Republican House majority to serve as a check on the Biden administration and address issues such as government spending and foreign policy decisions. U.S. House of Representatives - Office of the Clerk/Wikimedia
The Republican infighting comes at a crucial time as the party holds a narrow one-vote majority in the House, with several members resigning or retiring in the coming months. United States House of Representatives or Office of the Speaker of the House/Wikimedia
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) acknowledged the division, telling Meet the Press, "We have one or two people that are not team players. They'd rather enjoy the limelight...it is very likely that after this Ukraine bill, that we may have a standoff with the speaker." Matt Johnson from Omaha, Nebraska, United States/Wikimedia
The reference to a potential "standoff" stems from efforts to secure additional aid for Ukraine. Office of U.S. House Speaker/Wikimedia
While the Senate has already passed a $95.34 billion foreign funding package, including $61 billion for Ukraine, the House has yet to take up the measure, with some Republicans voicing opposition. Pablo Manriquez/Wikimedia
House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-OH) expressed confidence that the Ukraine aid bill would receive "overwhelming support" in Congress. Brendan O'Hara, House Creative Services/Wikimedia
However, when asked if Speaker Johnson would be willing to put his job on the line to secure the aid, Turner responded, "Unfortunately, the chaos caucus has continued to want to stop everything that occurs in Congress. It's not as though they have an alternative plan." Office of Speaker Mike Johnson/Wikimedia
As disagreements persist among Republicans, questions remain about the party's capacity to effectively legislate and tackle key matters, with the possibility of additional conflicts arising. Tom Williams (CQ Roll Call)/Wikimedia
