Democrats Say They'll Block Marjorie Taylor Greene's Motion To Oust Mike Johnson

WASHINGTON ― House Democrats said Tuesday that they would step in to save Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from being ousted if needed and he did not reject that offer, likely ending a simmering weekslong effort by a small group of hard-right Republicans to replace him.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) threatened to force a snap referendum on Johnson’s speakership after he recently allowed a bipartisan vote to prevent a government shutdown. Johnson further infuriated Greene and her cohort by supporting bipartisan foreign aid legislation.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his top deputies said that in light of the foreign aid legislation passing, Democrats would vote to block Greene’s “motion to vacate” — meaning that there’s no way she would have enough votes to prevail.

“At this moment, upon completion of our national security work, the time has come to turn the page on this chapter of Pro-Putin Republican obstruction,” Jeffries said in a statement with Reps. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We will vote to table Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Motion to Vacate the Chair,” the Democrats said. “If she invokes the motion, it will not succeed.”

Later on Tuesday morning, Greene said that she would force the House to go through with her doomed motion.

“If the Democrats want to elect him Speaker (and some Republicans want to support the Democrats’ chosen Speaker), I’ll give them the chance to do it,” Greene said on social media. “I’m a big believer in recorded votes because putting Congress on record allows every American to see the truth and provides transparency to our votes.”

Johnson said at a press conference that he was not given