WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans will be forced to record, defend or reprimand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has sentenced the bipartisan condemnation for his embrace of far-right conspiracy theories, as well as for his past support for violence against Democrats.
The politically agonizing vote expected Thursday, which will determine whether the Georgia Republican will step down from her committee duties, underscores the tension over the best political path the party has taken since Donald Trump lost the White House..
Democrats issued an ultimatum earlier in the week, telling House Republicans to remove Greene from his committee duties, or they would. Bipartisan pressure was created after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Greene’s “false lies.” a “cancer” for the party.
But the House’s minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, ruled out taking action Wednesday. Instead, he accused Democrats of a “partisan takeover” of addressing Greene, who once suggested that a Jewish-owned financial company may have been involved in a plot to cause wildfires in California. using a space laser.
“If that’s not the bottom line, I don’t know what the hell it is,” said House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern, D-Mass., Before a resolution was sent to the House floor to strip Greene of their charges.
McCarthy’s decision to support Greene comes at a time when the party has been ideologically adrift since the loss of Trump, struggling to accept its division that shatters more traditional, conservative-oriented norms or values. Republican Party policy.
On Wednesday, House Republicans blocked the hardline Conservatives ’effort to oust Republican No. 3 Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., From her leadership role. Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, had infuriated Trump supporters by voting to accuse for the revolt at the United States Capitol.
With both women, McCarthy tried to appease traditional conservatives and populists, such as Greene, who emulates Trump. The moves were typical of McCarthy’s preference to avoid ruined feathers as he charted his path to one day become a House speaker.
“Do you know what that would mean?” He told reporters Wednesday evening. “In two years we will win the majority. This is because this conference is more united. We have the right leadership team behind us. ”
But the wings of the Republican Party remain concerned that the other will lead them down the wrong path, and for some, Wednesday’s result seemed more of an awkward truce than a total peace treaty.
“It’s about the leadership of our party and whether or not we will be a one-person majority or we will be a united Republican majority,” said Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler, R-Wash., Who was part of Cheney. of only 10 House Republicans who accused Trump of accusing him.
Greene has shown support for calls for violence against Democrats, strange fictions about fake school traits, and unfounded QAnon theories about Democrats joining the rings of child abuse.
The conspiracy theories he has adopted emerged during a closed-door Republican rally on Wednesday, which attendees described as animated with long rows of speakers at the microphones. Some said Greene apologized to his colleagues, although there were conflicting and vague versions of what he had said exactly.
“She was OK. And I think he brought a lot of people to his side, “said Conservative Rep. Thomas Massie of R-Ky.
This is at odds with statements she made in recent weeks on Twitter, where she vowed not to back down or apologize and called her critics traitors, while using the Democratic push to punish her for raising money for her campaign.
Democrats say it’s politically advantageous to link some Republicans to far-right Greene. This week, the Democratic Congress Campaign Committee launched a $ 500,000 advertising campaign trying to link eight Republicans with her and other QAnon supporters, which focuses on the false belief that major Democrats are involved in sex trafficking and infantile cannibalism.
McCarthy condemned Greene’s recent endorsements of conspiracy theories – after weeks of saying little criticism – and said the first-term MP had acknowledged in a private conversation that she had to meet “a higher standard” as the legislator.
“I fulfill it with his word as well as his actions in the future,” McCarthy said.
He burst onto the national political scene with the enthusiastic support of Trump.
Republicans appointed Greene to the Education and Labor Committee, a decision that garnered particularly harsh criticism because of his suggestions that he shot mass schools in Connecticut and Florida. Greene is also on the Budget Committee.
McCarthy said Democrats rejected his offer to move Greene to the House Small Business Committee.
It is unusual for party leaders to eliminate committee tasks from lawmakers, which can help them meet the needs of their districts and increase campaign contributions.
In 2019, House Republican Party leaders removed Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who had a history of racist comments, from the Agriculture and Justice panels after being asked out loud in a New York Times story about when the term “white supremacist” became offensive. . He lost the Republican primary for his seat in 2020 and is out of Congress after serving nine terms.
In online videos and through “likes” of social media support, Greene has expressed support for racist beliefs, called for violence against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, and several false theories.