Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie met with Speaker Mike Johnson for two hours pressing him to resign as Speaker, arguing he has compromised the GOP by forming a de facto coalition with Democrats.
Johnson refused to step down, saying he is focused on advancing their agenda where possible given the slim Democratic majority.
“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.”
Greene and Massie insist Johnson has capitulated repeatedly to Democrats by allowing votes on Biden’s agenda and not securing the border.
Johnson said 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 plan is to “keep advancing the ball, to get the next first down, to put points on the board and then, and get to November.”
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also boasted that Democrats effectively control the floor agenda.
“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,” Jeffries said. “Those are just the facts.”
Greene and Massie plan to meet with Johnson again and Greene could call a vote to vacate the Speaker role, though Democrats have pledged to table such a motion to keep Johnson in power with their support.
